Michi Photostory

April 27, 2012

Nostalgia: Wedding Day

I've just attended a wedding last Saturday and I can’t help myself but reminisce about our wedding day. Did you know that I had two weddings in one year? Well, we did not plan it but when my husband learned that his father will be going to the USA, he decided to have a civil wedding as soon as possible. He wants his dad to be present on our wedding day.

I have no idea about his plan, he just informed me after he talked to his parents. I was really shocked because we only have two weeks to prepare but I still said yes. Good thing that we have marriage license already, I applied early because I need my mom’s signature. I did not do anything, my hubby’s family prepared everything for the wedding, we just gave them money and our marriage license. And because it was a rush wedding, I only invited my immediate family.

After our civil wedding, we’re still busy preparing for our garden wedding. Some people advise me not to continue our garden wedding and just save the money for our future house but I did not listen because I really want to have my dream wedding. Not a grand wedding but I want my family, relatives, and friends to be there. We already paid down payments 14 months before the original date of our wedding and it’s non-refundable so I don’t want to waste the money.

And of course I want to have a souvenir; I want photos and videos of our wedding day. I love pictures so I got a package that includes two photographers and one videographer but I was so disappointed because I have very limited pictures after the wedding. I only had two family pictures. We even had more pictures during our pre-nup than on my wedding day. So I won’t recommend them, I hope Minneapolis photographers are not like them.

I’m checking some wedding sites and I’ve learned about Minneapolis wedding DJ. A wedding jockey on your wedding day sounds cool. Too bad I did not know about this six years ago.

April 26, 2012

Lunch at Pancake House

It’s been awhile since the last time we dined in Pancake House after we had a bad experience with them in their Boracay branch. Then last Saturday, we tried Pancake House again, we ordered chicken and pasta.

We enjoyed our meal but since we are in hurry, I told the waiter to take-out the mac and cheese and I asked for the bill. Hubby and son went to Starbucks to redeem our free drinks; he was surprised when he came back because I’m still waiting for the bill. After paying the bill we immediately left the restaurant, on our way to the wedding, I remember my take-out food. Lo and behold I forgot the mac and cheese, I paid P120 for that and I left it. I’m not happy about it because it seems I always forget something. I left my son’s black shoes when we attended a debut, I left our take-out food and I also forgot the yellow shirt of my son.

I was also disappointed with Pancake House, sa tagal ko ba naman naghintay sa bill, hindi nila binigay sa kin yung take-out food ko. But I’m also thinking if I need to drink vitamins for my memory. What do you think? Signs of aging?

Go Organic

Since 2009 I’ve been using organic products, I even registered to become a member of Greencow to avail discounts and until now I’m still using these products especially the insect repellent lotion. I always bring this lotion everywhere we go just be sure that we are safe from dengue.

Last year, I had a chance to visit Ilog Maria Honeybee Farm and I’ve tried these products. Compared to Greencow, Ilog Maria is more affordable. I love their massage oil and lip balm.

I’ve received Human Heart Nature products 3 years ago; it was a gift from a friend. Then last December my son received HHN products and he is still using the HHN shampoo and baby wash. I was so glad when I won two giveaways because I have new stock of HHN products. =) I love the anti-bacterial pocket soap and sanitizer.

How about you? What organic products are you using?

April 23, 2012

Florida on Sale?

If you’re looking for a great value trip to Florida for the ultimate family holiday, you can find a great range of low-cost packages and cheap USA holidays to suit even the tightest of budgets at a price that won’t break the bank.

You might not find a trip to the States at Spain holiday prices - let’s face it, if you did you should be asking some serious questions about your tour operator - but with a bit of planning you can still enjoy cheap holidays to Florida complete with all the trimmings and with a good standard of accommodation.

Like supermarkets, major tour operators are always competing against each other to win your custom which means they regularly discount the cost of holidays to draw you in. This is great news if you’re searching for low-cost holidays - especially if you’re traveling with children during the school holidays as this is often during peak season.

If that’s not enough, when considering a long-haul destination like Florida it’s usually worth booking well in advance. If you can book with the launch of a new season you’ll often secure early bird deals or helpful discounts such as free kids’ places, as well as the opportunity to spread the cost of your holiday and pay it off in installments.

Failing that, if you’re looking for something departing soon you may benefit from a last-minute booking. Package holidays usually drop in price the closer you get to your departure date, so if you’re the impatient type this could be right up your street. Just be prepared to be flexible on your preferences as the later you book, the less availability you’re faced with - so you may have to alter your choice of resort, hotel, and even your departure airport.

It will be worth it though and the more money you save now, the more you’ll have to play with when you arrive.

April 18, 2012

Time is Gold; Respect Other's Time

Last week was really stressful because my son started his summer class so I have to adjust my schedule. It’s a struggle to wake him up and get him ready for school. His dawdling makes me so stress so every day I also adjust his wake up time so even he moves so slow, we won’t be late. I have to cook in advance so by the time we get home we have something to eat and of course I have to do some household chores. It is really obvious that full-time mom is not a bum.

Well, I just want to stress that time is gold and every second, minute and hours are very important to me so please learn to respect other’s time. I will give some example that really pissed me off. Last Friday, we attended a debut, according to the invitation the party will start at 6PM but we already informed them that we will be late because my hubby will be coming from Makati, he’ll be out by 5PM.

My son had his moments again, he doesn’t want to wear his clothes so we left the house with my naked son because we’re already late and dahil sa pagmamadali namin, I left my son’s shoes. We reached the venue 7:30PM, lo and behold we’re not late because the party will start at 8PM but it started 9PM and no dinner yet. OMG! I left my son’s shoes and we skipped dinner so we can be there as early as possible because my hubby was part of the 18 thousands (not familiar with 18k? minimum of 1k cash gift #brightidea but I’m not liking it).

We did not finish the party because my son was sleeping already; we left at 11:45PM after the 18K program. I don’t really understand why you have to put 6PM when the party will start at 8PM.

And last Sunday, it happened again. I was told that reunion will be at 11:30AM but everybody was late again. This was not the first time, it happened every year (reunion). The sad part is I don’t hear any apologies. Anyway, no matter what they say, I won’t bite it because it’s already a habit. I can still take 15 minutes late but more than 1 hour is not acceptable. I don’t really understand why you have to set a meeting time when you cannot commit.

Now, whenever I see an invitation I’m really thinking twice whether I should be on time or not because this happened several times, two more scenarios.

1. Christening at 8:30AM, I travel from Laguna to Bulacan just to be there at 8:30AM, only to find out that baptism starts at 11AM.

2. 1^st Birthday party at 1PM, I travel from Cavite to Q.C., arrived at 12:30NN and Jollibee staff told me na 2PM pa daw yung party.

Not all people follow Filipino time, you are just punishing early bird guests. I admit that there are times that I’m late too but I really have a valid excuse and traffic is not included. I see to it that I inform the other party if I’m running late. Every day we only have 24 hours and we need to use it wisely. Please respect other’s time.

April 16, 2012

Things You Should Never Say To A Stay at Home Mom

We had a reunion last weekend, I suggested Sambokojin but they wanted Dads, Saisaki and Kamayan so I gave in. Meeting time is 11:30 and I was there 11:45am, it was really my plan not to be on time because my friends are always late and as expected they came past 12:30nn.

They suggested the venue and time but they did not make any reservation so I was really disappointed, because I thought there’s already a reservation since it’s weekend. So imagine our waiting time just to be seated. We left the house at 9:30am so we’re really hungry.

When my friends came, I asked one of my friends why she did not make any reservation and she said, “Busy ako noh, bakit hindi ikaw? wala ka naman ginagawa at nasa bahay ka lang buong araw”. I did not say a word because I choose my own battles but deep inside, I was deeply hurt, it is like a slap in my face that I’m very unproductive.

Yes, I am a full-time mom but it doesn’t mean that I have so much free time. It doesn’t mean that I’m not doing anything. Full-time mom is also a busy individual, I’m not just watching tv, eating, sleeping or checking facebook, I have my own work too, it may not be in the corporate world but still, I work.

I won’t resign from my part-time job if I have so much free time. I have neither Yaya nor helper and I’m doing my best to manage my time so I can finish my chores and just to have my own “me time”. If I was the one who organizes the reunion, I will definitely make a reservation even it’s a long distance call.

So please, if you have a friend or you know someone who is a full-time mom, be careful with your words. Here are some things you should never say to a stay at home mom: I’ve read this last month at Mommy Fleur’s blog.

1. When the kids are older, do you think you'll get a real job?

2. How June Cleaver of you!

3. Oh, so you don't work?

4. Since you have extra time on your hands, could you whip up a few dozen brownies for the bake sale tomorrow?

5. All day with your kids? I can't even imagine.

6. I'm jealous. I wish my husband were rich so I wouldn't have to work either.

7. What do you do all day, anyway?

8. I'm sure you're not the only one who's ever wasted money on a college degree.

9. That explains why your son is so clingy!

10. Weird. I assumed your house would be ssuper clean

"I can't wait for people who don't have kids to start having them so they can eat their words and opinions."

April 15, 2012

Taytay Falls

As I mentioned before, this was really an unplanned trip, after our visit to Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery, I told my husband to go back to my grandmother's house because I don’t think this is the best time to go to Taytay Falls.

But he was really determined to swim so we continued our journey. After 3 hours (almost) of traveling from Victoria, Laguna we reached our destination. We had 3 stopovers along the way; some people are asking for donations for fiesta daw, you have no choice but to give kasi naman hindi ka makakadaan at may harang talaga na tali.

Entrance fee: P20 each no charge for my 3yrs old son.

Parking: P30

There is a logbook at the entrance, just write your name, pay the entrance fee and they will give you the stub. You have to bring the stub on your way to the falls; there is a guy who collects all the stubs. From the parking lot, you will pass a few sari-sari stores and carinderia where you can buy food and drinks. But it is best if you can bring your own food.

You need to walk about 15-20 minutes before you reach the falls, it depends on the traffic and how fast you walk.

Traffic na, pababa pa lang!

paliit-ng paliit ang pathway

It was Black Saturday so the place was really crowded. I don’t really plan any summer outing during Holy Week because I dislike traffic and crowded places. As far as I can remember, we only had one family outing during holy week. We had a day trip in Golden Sunset and it was my hubby’s decision.

Anyway, Taytay falls is just small falls compared to Daranak Falls, Three Falls, Mt. Pico de Loro Falls, Katibawasan Falls, and Kawasan Falls. So far, this is the 6^th waterfall that I’ve seen.

Read: Amazing Waterfalls in the Philippines

Ten or eleven years ago, I was supposed to be here but I did not join the trip when I learned that most of the participants were boys and it was an overnight trip. I don’t see myself sleeping in a tent and I’m not sure if there’s a comfort room in the area.

But if I joined the trip, this will be our first meeting (hubby and I). He was one of the participants and according to him "maganda daw ito and nagtrek talaga sila mula baba. Akalain mo pwede naman pala magkotse, nagpakahirap pa sila. Hehe! Sayang daw, sana daw sumama na ko nun kasi ang laki daw ng pinagbago ng falls kasi ngayon commercialized na."

I must agree with him because I did not enjoy our Taytay Falls trip. The place was really packed; there were tents and trash everywhere. I had a hard time looking for a good spot where I can stand and take pictures. I don’t know if this is the scenario every weekend or dahil holy week kami nagpunta. We only stayed for one hour including our walk from parking to the falls and back to parking.

But if you can't take the summer heat, visit Taytay falls. Ang lamig talaga ng tubig. :)

traffic din palabas

I felt sad when I saw the falls, sana lang malagaan nila. From Taytay falls back to Victoria, Laguna, we traveled 1 hour and 30 minutes (wala ng side trip).

Note: Taytay falls is also known as Majayjay Falls or Imelda Falls.

There is a shower room and comfort room in the area but I have no idea if it is clean. Hubby and son did not take a shower after the swim because of the long line. Good thing that we are less than 2 hours away from my grandmother’s house.

April 14, 2012

What is your Dream Home?

I believe that all people dream to have their own place where they can spend their lives, a place that you can call home. But looking for a dream home is not easy; it entails a lot of effort and time to find it. There are a lot of things that we need to consider such as location, size, style and price.

Some people prefer condominiums like Austin condo, some people prefer a house and some people might prefer a fixer-upper that can be renovated by a company like Summit Point Roofing to their liking. I guess it depends on our needs, wants and lifestyle.

When I was still single, I was looking for a condominium near my workplace to lessen my travel time. But I have no idea that a studio room would cost so much so I just chose an apartment which is much cheaper than renting a condominium. There is no one-year contract and no home owner’s association fee.

We also rented an apartment after our wedding but of course, priorities change when you have your own family. When I learned that I was pregnant, we started to look for a house. Hubby and I prefer a house than condos Austin because we want more space.

We are not looking for a big house; all we wanted is a house that fits three people. Thank God that we did not have a hard time looking for it, though I cannot say that this is already our dream house but I’m glad that we have our own place and I can definitely say that this is our home.

How about you? What is your dream home?

Read: Tips for Finding a Home

April 13, 2012

Viaje del Sol: Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery

Do you still remember my Viaje del Sol post last year? It is one of my goals to visit those places and I’m glad I was able to visit Nagcarlan Undergound Cemetery last holy week. We did not plan to visit this place but on our way to Majayjay Falls, we saw this church.

Nagcarlan Church – The first church which was made of light materials, was built by Rev. Tomas De Miranda, D.F.M., who was assigned to this town in 1583 as resident priest. The second church of brick and stone was built in 1752 but it was partly destroyed by fire in 1781. A choir loft was added to the reconstructed church in 1845 by Rev. Vicente Velloc, who built the Nagcarlan Cemetery and its underground crypt. Rev. Tomas De Miranda was pioneer in the successful cultivation of wheat in the uplands of Nagcarlan.

While checking the church, we read about the Nagcarlan Cemetery so my husband asked the vendor how to get to Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery. Sorry, I can’t give you the exact directions because I wasn’t listening but the landmark is Shell Station. The underground cemetery is just in front of the gasoline station, 10-15 minutes away from Nagcarlan church.

Sementeryo sa Ilalim ng Lupa ng Nagcarlan – Ang naiiba at nag-iisang sementeryong ito sa Pilipinas ay itinayo ng mga misyonerong Pransiskano sa pangangasiwa ni Padre Vicente Velloc noong 1845, kasabay ng pagtatayong muli ng pinalaking simbahan ng San Bartolome at pagtatayo ng kumbento. Dito nagpulong nang palihim ang mga pinuno ng himagsikan sa Laguna noong 1896. Sa bisa ng Kautusan ng Pangulo bilang 260, Agosto 1, 1973 na sinusugan ng Kautusan bilang 1505, Hunyo 11, 1978. Ang sementeryong ito ay ipinahayag na pambansang palatandaang makaysaysayan.

Unfortunately, it was closed so we just took pictures outside, and we went to Majayjay Falls or Taytay Falls.

April 10, 2012

Holy Week 2012

Now I’m back from my hiatus, how’s your long weekend? We had a blissful week, finally, we were able to rest in my grandmother’s house, a sort of staycation. Here’s the summary of my holy week.

Holy Thursday

We stayed in the house to finish our household duties before going to my grandmother’s house. We cleaned the house, finished the laundry, and ironed all clothes. Quite tiring but we did not mind because we will be having our much-awaited staycation.

Good Friday

As expected, we went to Caleruega and we left early to avoid the traffic. Surprisingly, there were more people who visited Caleruega this year compared to our previous trips. It is really hard to take pictures because you have to wait for your turn. =)

Then we went to Victoria, Laguna where my grandmother lives.

Black Saturday

I was enjoying my staycation when all of a sudden my husband wanted to go to nearby falls. This is really an unplanned trip because we don’t have any swimwear. We left the house after lunch without a map; we just asked questions along the way.

Our joy ride brought us here,

Nagcarlan Church

Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery

and finally Taytay Falls or Majayjay Falls

Easter Sunday

My grandmother was wondering why we had an extended stay because we used to “eat, sleep and run” the following day. Whenever we visited her, we will just eat merienda then dinner, sleep, eat breakfast, and go home so this was the first time that we really stayed long.

But we really enjoyed our stay; it was our sweet escape away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You can have a good sleep without aircon and we even turned off the electric fan. Of course, it’s not all year round. There are days that it is really hot but during our stay, we’re blessed with good weather.

view at the back of my grandmother's house

view from our room

My husband loves to stay here because he can have a good rest and there are times that he will suggest to visit my grandmother.

Hubby: hon, punta tayo sa lola mo.

Me: bakit? Ano gagawin natin dun?

Hubby: matutulog

Me: matutulog? Pupunta tayo dun para lang matulog?

Hubby: para maiba naman. =)

And of course, he loves my grandmother’s dishes. We always look forward to ginataang fish and vegetables. To tell you the truth, we gained pounds again during our staycation.

As much as we want to extend our vacation we have to go home. We dropped by Isdaan to check the place but we left immediately when we saw the crowd.

Day of Valor

Back to reality, household duties again, and time to finish our errands.

April 04, 2012

Why is it Important to Check your Receipt?

Do you always check your receipt whenever you buy something? Do you really examine the amount printed on the receipt? Or you don’t care at all. If you’ll ask me, I always check my receipt but there is one instance that I did not check my receipt after I purchased some items. When I got home and checked my receipt, I found out that the “buy 1 take 1 item” that I purchased was not charged as B1T1 so I bought the items at regular price.

I was so disappointed because I only bought the “Little Einstein” CD because its buy 1 take 1 for P120 or P150. But I did not go back to Festival Mall because going there is more expensive (gas, tollgate and parking) compared to P120 or P150 that I overpaid. I can easily notice this if I only bought the cd. So lesson learned, don't forget to check your receipt.

Another instance is when I paid our credit card bills in SM payment center, I paid two credit card bills for the same credit card company

Ex.

Credit card 1: P5000

Credit card 2: P7000

pero napagpalit ng cashier yung amount.

Credit card 1: P7000

Credit card 2: P5000

Good thing that I checked my receipt before I left the counter, I informed the cashier about it and she made some adjustments.

Then yesterday, I went to SM to buy some personal stuff, I saw some Buy 1 Take 1 shirt for my son so I bought two sets of B1T1. I checked the monitor screen to ensure that I really get the discount then I noticed that the B1T1 item was charged as regular item. I called the attention of the cashier.

Me: Miss, hindi yata nagrereflect yung Buy 1 Take 1 ko

Cashier: Ma’m pag natotal na po natin saka po makikita yung discount.

So I paid the items and she showed me the receipt, “ma’m ito po o, may 50% off na”. I said ok and left the counter. While walking I’m still checking my receipt and I was right, I paid the B1T1 items for regular price of P199.75 each so I overpaid P199.75.

I went back to the counter and told the cashier about it but she insisted na nagreflect yung B1T1. I told her that I have two B1T1 items and I only see one discounted price. Good thing that the supervisor was there and she checked my receipt; they unwrapped my stuff and checked the items.

And the supervisor said sorry for the inconvenience, they called someone to inform about the error. One guy came and he said, he will just issue DRA (not sure sa term). I waited again, the guy came back and gave the cashier a slip but the cashier needs a code but no one can give her the right code.

I’ve been waiting for more than 40 minutes and you know that I hate waiting so I asked the cashier if I could just cancel the B1T1 item and replace the items worth P399.50. I used my credit card so there’s no way that she could give me the amount in cash. I know that she can call the credit card company to cancel the amount and re-enter my purchase but I don’t want to wait anymore. So I get 1 queen pillow and 2 pcs of M&M and pay the difference.

It is really important to check your receipt.Thank God that I just came from my staycation so I was able to wait for more than 40 minutes and still smile kahit naiinis na rin ako. Buti na lang may Free SM jelly bag ako.

April 03, 2012

Calea: Blueberry Cheesecake

Hubby came home last Friday from Cebu and Bacolod trip, last stop is Bacolod so I was really happy because I can taste again my favorite Calea blueberry cheesecake. I told you before that Calea is just in front of L’Fisher Hotel and hubby stayed in this hotel so he has no reason for not buying this cake.

One whole cake is good for 12 slices, P715 + P35 (pasalubong box). And as of this writing, I still have one slice left.

Read: 31 Hours in Bacolod

Pasalubong from Bacolod

Food Trip in Bacolod

March 31, 2012

Billiger Mietwagen for Tours in Germany

Browsing for websites online is the best way to look out for billiger mietwagen agencies in Germany. It would be a good idea to do the reservation days in advance of the trip in order to get the best deals. There are a large number of car rental agencies located in different cities in the country. This might confuse you but a more in-depth qualitative search will bring out the best billiger mietwagen agencies in the country. Apart from the diverse range of cars from sedans to economy cars, there are attractive offers provided along with cars at affordable costs.

Chauffeur services are also available with these car hire agencies. A service that is found in most of the car rental agencies is the system of accident waivers. In this way, if an accident happens without your knowledge during the period of hire, you will not be forced to pay the excess charge. This is a leniency that is not found in other countries. Breakdown assistance is another service that’s provided to the customers.

Apart from the tourists, another section of people who make regular visits to the country are the businessmen. They have the conferences and seminar sessions that happen every month and they avoid the ignominy of having to use public transportation. The business conglomerates thus book the best billiger mietwagen agencies in advance and they use them whenever they are in the country. So what are you waiting for? Go online and make reservations as fast as possible.

March 26, 2012

Lola Abon’s

Hubby came home from Davao and brought some durian candies from Lola Abon’s. He said, it’s delicious and you can’t taste the durian so we (me + son) tried but still didn’t like it. I can still smell and taste the durian. So hubby has no choice but to eat all durian candies, 4 packs left in the fridge. =)

Hubby: masarap kaya and sikat yan, dami nga pictures ng artista na nakapost sa store nila.

I google it and true enough, Lola Abon’s has the best durian candy in Davao.

Well, the only thing I like from Davao is suha and pastel. Yes, I know that pastel is Camiguin’s delicacy but since this is my favorite, it is a must for him to buy pastel wherever he goes, as long as it is available.

March 23, 2012

Coupon Codes 101

Do you know what coupon code is? If your answer is no, don’t feel sad because I also have no idea about this. Whenever I check my twitter page, Facebook news feed, and even Google reader, I always see this coupon code and I feel so outdated so I made my research. Here is some information that I’ve got.

What is a coupon code?

Coupon code serves as a ticket that allows consumers to avail discount or rebate. Consumers can avail of free shipping, free giveaways, buy one take one promo or discount on their purchases. The coupon code is a combination of letters and numbers that shoppers use to avail discount online.

Where can I get this coupon?

You can get this coupon from newspapers, magazines, mail, coupon envelopes and of course internet. The Internet is the easiest way to get coupon codes, you can grab this from the merchant’s website, email newsletter or affiliate programs.

How to use coupon codes?

If you have the coupon code, all you need to do is enter the code and submit but merchants have different places where shoppers can enter the code, sometimes it is in shopping cart or order review page. If you are still clueless you can always check the FAQ page of the website to ensure that you’re on the right track.

Most of the online sellers are offering coupon codes to attract first-time shoppers and to give incentives to their loyal shoppers. If you are budget conscious consumers like me, you can take advantage of this because there are savings with coupon codes. It is very popular in United States but there are coupon codes that can be used worldwide.

If you are online shoppers, feel free to check popular Bloomingdales coupon code. Bloomingdale’s online shop is now shipping to the Philippines.

March 18, 2012

Getting Cabs in London

London is considered the world’s most visited city. There really is no doubt about that; after all, even little kids know about London as they sing the famous nursery rhyme, “London Bridge is Falling Down”. A lot of people dream of visiting this place because it is the home of four World heritage sites and famous landmarks.

London’s most visited attractions include Madame Tussauds, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Maritime Museum, Tower of London, Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, National Gallery, British Museum, and London Eye. I personally would love to visit Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace.

Planning an itinerary is difficult because London has way too many tourist attractions. Most of the time, tourists try to get in touch with different travel agencies to avoid the trouble of having to plan everything. Getting the service of a reputable and trusted travel agency makes it much easier to enjoy London because all that is needed is for one to pay and follow the tour guide. Oh, and there is always the option of availing of a taxi tour if you do not want to join group tours.

Believe it or not, you can hire a taxi to tour you around London. Whether you have limited time or you have the entire day, you can enjoy London with the help of taxi tours.

You have the option of choosing your own tour: day tours, popular tours, themed tours, city tours, or limited tours. It all depends on your time and budget. Taxi tours can accommodate up to five people – the more, the merrier because the rates are per taxi. Therefore, taxi tours are a good choice if you’re bringing along your family or a group of friends.

DIY travelers want to plan their own itinerary according to what interests them, and also according to their budget and time. They feel that they can maximize their time and save more money if they travel on their own. There is no problem in touring London on your own as long as you can speak the language. In addition, London is a very tourist-friendly city. If you need a ride, you can just check Anycabs.co.uk for London taxi cabs. This spares you from the trouble of looking for cab companies to call.

Any Cabs is like a one-stop website where you can book your minicab, check different cab companies, and compare taxi prices. Using the site is very easy and the best thing about it is there are no charges! Yes, looking for cabs is free on the site. Just enter your route and you will easily receive information on pick-up times and price comparisons. The site will help you choose which taxi cab to book.

So, if you want to enjoy London, www.anycabs.co.uk can definitely help you. It will save you time and money because you can get the nearest and cheapest cab. One other thing: if you accidentally leave your stuff inside the taxi cabs, the company can return it to you!

March 16, 2012

Free Stuff from Hotel

For those who love to travel, I’m sure that you are familiar with hotel’s complimentary stuff and most of these items are toiletries such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and lotion. I’m one of those people who take advantage of free stuff because I know that it is included in room rate.

Complimentary stuff like these…

This stuff is very handy if ever we have an overnight trip because it is very light. We can also use it for our visitors, just in case they forgot to bring slippers or toothbrush.

Of course, not all are free stuff like towels, bathrobes and blower. To give you an idea you can watch this video

How about you? Do you love taking free stuff or you just leave it behind.

March 14, 2012

Why I Love Being a Mom and Blogger

When I was a kid I used to watch Doogie Howser M.D., if you were born in the 80’s I’m pretty sure you are familiar with the series. At the end of the day, Doogie will type his entry on his personal computer diary while I write my feelings, memories and random thoughts in my diary. But I stopped writing when I graduated from college and started working.

Year 2008 when I became a mom, that time I want to have a personal blog to document my son’s development and milestones. I also want to share my journey as a wife and mother but like I said, I have no idea how to create a blog, I said it here numerous times that my first post in Wordpress was also my last post because I find it too complicated. Last year, I discovered Blogger and I created Michi Photostory, where I share pieces of my life.

From that moment I enjoy writing and sharing my experiences as a mom and wife, our travel trips, food trips, and even my random thoughts. I have no idea that blogging could be fun and therapeutic. Blogging became my “me time” and I’m happy writing my post at the same time reading other blogs.

Some people may never understand why I blog but I have my own reasons why I love being a mom and blogger. I love being a mom because I know not all women can bear a child and I’m really thankful that God gave me a chance to become a mother.

My son completes me; there are things that I’ve discovered when I had him. I never thought that I could give up my career and be a full-time mom. I never thought that I could find joy and satisfaction being a domestic goddess. The journey may not be easy but I still love taking the path of motherhood.

Being a full-time mom gives me more time to blog, aside from my son, this blog became my baby. I have my own dreams and wish lists too for this blog. I’m happy when I see new followers, comments, thoughts, suggestions, and feedbacks.

I enjoy blog hopping because I learned a lot, it allows my mind to travel, to eat and to feel their experience. It allows me to see the world even at the comfort of my home. Being at home for almost 24/7 is not easy because you have less time to socialize but I don’t mind because I gained online friends through blogging.

I have more reason why I love being a mom and blogger but I don’t want to bore you reading my post. But before I end this post, I would like to share this “Don’t live to blog or blog to live, but live then blog”. I’ve read it somewhere but this is a constant reminder to me, mommy duties first before blogging.

March 10, 2012

Memorable Experience in Norway

I know there’s no place like home but if there is one place that I want to live in aside from my country that would be Norway. I was been in Norway several years ago, and I was fortunate to have a three-month vacation, and indeed it is one of my memorable vacations.

Norway is very far from the Philippines, a total of 36 hours flight including layover; we took 3 international planes, 1 domestic plane, and 1 ferry boat just to reach my mom’s place. The travel is really long but it is all worth it because Norway is really an amazing country.

If you love to commune with nature, this is the best place because Norway offers various scenery. You can see rocky wilderness, valleys, mountains, forested hills, and waterfalls. Did you know that most of the world’s greatest waterfalls are found in Norway?

My three-month stay in Norway was really a grand vacation because I was able to experience boating, fishing, picking mussels, nature-tripping, and many more.

We were able to visit a few cottages which my mom’s friend owned. So if you want to spend your holiday in Norway, you don’t have to worry because you can find peace in the cottages there. You can also check holiday homes Europe for a list of holiday homes not only in Norway but all over Europe.

Happy Golden Birthday to my Mom!

Happy Golden Birthday to you! It was sad that we couldn’t be with you on your special day for obvious reasons, the plane ticket is so expensive and is not yet vacation time. Thank God for technology because I can greet you in my post.

I just want to let you know that I am really grateful that God gave me a mom like you, though we’ve only been together for seven years and we never really grew up with you. We are still thankful because we know that you are always there to support, pray, care for, and love us across the miles.

I know you’ve been through a lot and if there’s one story na pang MMK (Maalala mo kaya) that will be your story. You suffered and sacrificed a lot just for us so even though we’re unable to live with you, we’re still happy for you because you truly deserve to be happy.

Growing up without a mom beside me is not easy but it also taught me how to be a strong, independent, and responsible person. I always think that you’re not with me so I have to learn to fight my own battles, run my own race, and achieve my dreams.

I salute you for achieving all your dreams; you got your degree while taking care of our youngest sister and at the same time working to support us. When I became a mom, you served as an inspiration to me because I know that you had 3 kids at the age of 20 without a nanny and house helper and I only have one son so I know I can do it too.

You taught us to have a good relationship with God so when life is so tough when we’re about to give up and we can’t run to you for help because of the distance, we can always call God to strengthen and comfort us.

I’m proud to be your daughter and I hope that I can be like you. I want to be a good mother to my little one and I hope that I can raise him the way you raised us when we were still kids. They say that the first 7 years is the most important phase and I hope I’m on the right track.

Happy birthday and I really pray that you will have more birthdays to come because I can’t imagine the future without you! Jeg elsker deg!

Btw, my mom has a blog too “Joy’s notepad”, you can click here to visit her site and if it is not too much to ask, can you also leave a message and greet her. Thank you!