#ComeAsYouAre With Crocs Isabella Sandals {A Review}

I used to own only 2 pairs of Crocs shoes: the Farrah Ballet Flats and Huarache Mini Wedge. I can't remember how long I've owned them, but for sure it's been around 3 or 4 years. Until now, I still use them because they're comfy, allows me to keep up with my kids, and just so comfortable! J

I was actually thinking of getting another pair when lo and behold! Crocs sent me an invitation to work with them for their new campaign. Of course I immediately said YES! And after a quick browse on the net revealed that superstars Drew Barrymore, John Cena, Henry Lau and YOONA recently joined Crocs as its global brand ambassadors, I was even more thrilled!

Caila's Trolls Themed 8th Birthday

Since my sister treated Caila (and the rest of us) to a luxurious weekend stay at the InterContinental Dubai Marina as a gift for her 8th birthday, I knew I couldn't top that... material-wise, at least.  Thankfully, my eldest daughter had already told me how she wanted to spend her actual birthday and it didn't include a big party so we didn't have to dig too deep into our pockets this time. Whew! 

However, it did include giving away goody bags to her close friends and classmates at school.  It would have been an easy task (just buy treats and put them in bags, right?), but since she was so used to having a theme every year for her birthday, she insisted that there be a theme as well this year...yes, even though it would just be for the lootbags. This time it was Trolls. 

My 2015 Wish List

Just 5 days until Christmas! Time sure is flying fast. Has everyone completed their shopping? Hands up to the procrastinators this year, and let’s high five ☺

Hubby and I were way behind on our preparations (actually, we still are), but fortunately we had some free time yesterday to buy presents for most of the kids we know. Now all we need to do is wrap them. Unfortunately, though, this will probably have to wait until Thursday (the day before Christmas) because that’s the only free time we will have. Yikes!  This happens to us every year, and the following year, we still don’t learn our lesson to shop early. Oh well. We like the feeling of the Christmas rush, I guess ☺

Biting Into Jipangei

After keeping us in suspense for quite some time, a group of friends we know from the CFC-KFC community finally opened the very first branch of Jipangei in the UAE last Thursday. Unfortunately, I was still sick so we couldn’t join in the celebration. But yesterday after work, and after Caila’s dentist appointment, we finally had the chance to visit them and find out why our kababayans in the Philippines endured long queues for the ice cream in the corn cane cone.

A Late Birthday Gift of Time

A couple of weeks ago, I finally bought my gift for Hubby’s birthday (which was last December 6). Yeah, I know… overdue and very late. I had good reasons though: (1) I was waiting for the DSF sales and promos, and (2) It was taking him a long time to choose. Again =) The thing is, I didn’t want to get him another gadget. My past gifts to him were a laptop, iPhone 4, LED television screen, and Samsung Galaxy Note (I can’t remember which one, though). I knew he would have loved to receive a pair of Jordan shoes but he had several of those already, and I didn’t want to feed on his hobby. What I wanted to give him was a watch. The catch was he’s never worn or owned a watch during his entire adult life; the last one he had was when he was still in college, so I didn’t know what he would like.

To Hoard or Not to Hoard

Saw these Combos packs at Zoom at Deira City Centre Metro Station and I couldn’t decide whether to buy just one or more.

Reasons to Hoard:
• They’re delicious!
• They’re not always available; ordinary supermarkets don’t sell them
• Usually my favorite ones (Cheddar Cheese Crackers) are the first ones gone
• They're much more better than potato chips
• They’re really delicious!

Reasons Not to Hoard:
• They’re not cheap at Dhs12 a pack

Heck! There was no need to think about it. TO HOARD!!!! Not that much, though. Just around 6 of them…enough to satisfy my cravings for a couple of weeks =)

If you pass by and decide to hoard as well, please leave a couple of those dark blue packs for me.

Of Bento Lunch Boxes and My Daiso Finds

A new school year is fast approaching and with it comes the usual concerns of a parent, one of which is what to put in the child’s lunchbox.

Caila is such a picky eater. As in! Several times last year, she would return from school with only a small portion of her sandwich nibbled off, or more than half of the contents of a yoghurt cup still remaining, or half a muffin left over...and the rest of her food untouched. Add to that her habit of soaking food in her mouth and keeping it there for several minutes, making her meal times last up to one or two hours. Even though she takes vitamins, her appetite still hasn’t changed. It really is a struggle to feed her.

So while I was browsing the net for suggestions, I came across the idea of bento lunch boxes where foods are carefully prepared and arranged to resemble cartoon characters, animals, plants and all sorts of things, making what is packed look more fun and attractive to eat. Here are just a few of the simple and creative designs I saw:

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Amazing huh? Good thing there are so many sites that I could refer to.

Anyway, since Caila would be spending more time at school this year (ergo, she would be having her snack time and lunch there), I decided that I really needed to glam up the contents of her lunch box. All of the bento sites said the basic tools needed were cookie cutters, a knife, silicone baking cups…and the lunch box, of course. We had the cutters, knife, and lunch box, and although I figured we didn’t really need the silicone baking cups, I wanted an excuse to get out of the apartment and go shopping.

So over the weekend, I dragged Hubby, Caila and Sophie with me to Daiso at Mirdiff City Centre, because where else would be the best place to buy bento box stuff than a Japanese shop right? =)

As expected, I didn’t buy only the baking cups. I also bought 2 packs of food picks and another cookie cutter because they just looked so cute

That’s not all. These also found their way in our shopping trolley

The hand-mixer and small rolling pin are Caila’s because she likes to help me bake, and I bought the other cooking utensils because we either didn’t have them or needed to replace the ones that we had or they just looked so pretty to use in their bright colors.

The last reason is why I shouldn’t be let loose in Daiso…or any thrift shop for that matter because considering that everything in it is affordable, I’ll probably buy anything that looks cute or pretty =)

Anyway, fingers crossed that I'll be able to make Caila's lunch boxes enticing to eat this year, and she'll come home from school with all of her food eaten.

Germany Getaway: A Bit of History and More Shopping

On our last full day in Germany, Dad and Mom didn’t go to work. They had decided to close their clinic for that day, making sure they didn’t have any patients booked. Their reason? Because it was our last full day with them. Hubby and I were so touched at their gesture, and really grateful, of course.

The first activity was a visit to Villa Hugel which is the mansion of the Krupp family (of the well-known ThyssenKrupp steel industry). Unfortunately though, it was closed that day so we took a few pictures outside instead.

Next place was the Ruhr Museum.  There we were taken back through the history of Germany, from its early days at the Ruhr Valley, to how it became the successful country it is today. The museum used to be a coal washing plant in that area, so walking through it, you can learn about the history while having a feel of it as well.

the museum from outside

going up

view of the escalator down..so high!

dwarfed by the machines

For more information about how the Ruhr Museum was integrated from the plant, you can read about it here. The museum was huge and there were many interesting things to see, feel, hear and even smell, so we didn’t notice it was way past lunch time already until our stomachs started growling. However, we didn’t go back home just yet.

Since the Metro was on the way, Dad suggested that we pass by there first for all the stuff we wanted to buy before going home for lunch. Which, of course, is what we did.

The Metro is a department store where you can buy all sorts of things at cheaper prices compared to other shops. However, not everyone can go in and purchase items there. You have to be a member, and to be a member, you need to be an owner of a business.

While Mom gathered some groceries she needed, Dad went with us around the store, directing us where we needed to go to get specific items. First stop: chocolates!

We bought all sorts of Lindt chocolates, mainly because they’re so delicious and they had all sorts of flavours:

just a few of what we bought

Of course we didn't buy only chocolates.  We bought sausages and other stuff as well.  We even got a game of Skip-Bo!

After our late lunch at home, we headed to Gelsenkirchen just near St. Hippolytus Church (where M&S got married) to the Deichmann store. Deichmann sells all kinds of shoes (and some bags), and the good thing is they’re not expensive. Plus, according to Irene (who has visited Germany so many times), the shoes don’t wear out easily. She has a couple of pairs that she bought back in 2007 (I think) which she still uses and are still comfortable to wear.

We had been to Deichmann's other branch when we visited downtown Essen a few days ago (that’s where I bought my black shoes), but Hubby wanted to check out this branch because their Essen branch didn’t have his size of a particular shoe he saw. Unfortunately, they didn’t have his size either, but the good thing is he found another one he liked and I saw another pair of shoes which we bought.

After shoe-shopping, Mom and Dad took us to Michaela and Sebastian’s apartment building. Robert and Marion (Sebastian’s parents who live on the floor above them) heard that we would be leaving the next day and invited us over so that we could talk a bit and say goodbye. We all sat around their dining table and talked (of course there were translations for us to understand each other) and laughed…until finally we had to go home. We said our goodbyes and thank you’s and “we hope to see you again soon” amid hugs and hand-shakes.

Germany Getaway: Shopping, German Sausages, and Absacker

The 9th of May was the only day during our entire visit that the five of us were left alone. Dad and Mom had patients to attend to at the clinic, and Michaela had to finalize some things for the wedding. So, armed with directions that Michaela had left us that morning, we walked to the nearby station where we bought day tickets and boarded the tram.

 

We went down at Essen Hauptbahnhopf where we took a few pictures before looking for a Starbucks for the free wifi.

Blurred selfie of us

Buddies!

We bought some things to eat and drink, of course!

Super delicious Raspberry Cheesecake and Caramel Hot Chocolate

Actually, that’s the time I posted this from our visit downtown days ago.

Hubby and I managed to Skype with our daughters, as well. They were in Ibn Battuta Gate hotel that day, enjoying brunch with Mama, Ate Ning, and Gabe. We were all so happy to see each other!

After our free wifi time had run out and we had uploaded and updated our respective social media accounts, we did the next thing on our agenda: shopping.

There was this black jacket in Vera Moda that I really liked and was on sale (don’t ask me how much because I can’t remember anymore; basta it’s cheap when I converted to dirhams). Since the others were saying that it looked good on me AND I had only brought one jacket for our trip (the other one was Michaela’s which she lent to me on our first night because she kept saying the one I had wasn’t enough…and she was right!), I bought it.

And throughout the day, I made a couple more purchases as well: black shoes and a black handbag to match. Here they all are (taken later at home):

Terno-terno lang!

To tell you the truth, I really never intended to buy anything. But then, well, you know how it is when a woman goes into a shop that has a sale =)

Before we went back home, we had a delicious lunch…of German sausages!

They were soooo delicious and big! And affordable too! Which is why most of us had two each!

Yummy!
Yes, that's the jacket I bought. I wore it right away =)

 

That's where we bought and ate our sausages...the shop at the back, I mean

And while waiting for the tram, we took a group selfie

That night at home, the men had their usual beer for dinner. But aside from that, we all had another alcoholic drink. Dad said Germans often have a drink called Absacker, which is their version of a nightcap. The beers and Hugo we had before were probably just to prep us up =) So since we were all willing to try, Mom gave me, Irene, and Ate Tess a small chocolate cup each filled with liquor, and Hubby and Kuya Raul had some brandy.

Prost!

How did I find it? Augh! It was soooo bitter and the alcohol was so strong! It’s a good thing the cup was edible chocolate, so I immediately chewed it after drinking its contents, making it taste much better.

Unlike before, we went to bed early that night. The next day was a special day and we needed to get sufficient rest and our beauty sleep to prepare for it.

Day 25: 16 April - Identical Sisters Outfit

Until recently, I found it really silly when I would see kid brothers or sisters being dressed in identical outfits. If they were twins, I’d understand…but for siblings who obviously didn’t look alike?! Sheesh! What’s the idea? To help describe the kid’s clothes easily if one of them accidentally gets lost?

But then when I came across a dress in Tchibo at Mirdif City Centre last Wednesday, and it came in sizes just perfect for my daughters, my outlook changed (only slightly though) and I realized the concept is actually cute.

It would have been great if the dress came in different colors (like pink and purple) but it only came in one color.  Now, I’m all for matching outfits for siblings…but preferably not identical, because they are different people and have different personalities (even twins for that matter!). Wearing the same design but in different patterns or colors than the other, which complements at the same time, would be better. That's why I said my outlook slightly changed.

Anyway, I’m just happy I bought these dresses for Caila and Sophie.: their first identical sisters outfit:

won't they look adorable in these?

lace crazy

These finds were bought on a whim while I was walking in Deira City Centre on my way to the metro.

I had no plans of buying anything, nor was I looking for anything in particular, but these just seemed to call out to me as I passed by Jennyfer and Splash.

I guess I'm a girly-girl more than I'd like to admit =)

there always has to be a catch

One of our managers gave me an iStyle Gift Voucher worth Dhs100 from HSBC. He said that he received a similar one for Sharaf DG a couple of months ago, but when he used it, he ended up buying items worth Dhs1,000. So he decided this time, he wouldn’t give in to the temptation to spend more.

Awesome for me, right? I immediately checked the internet for what items were being sold at iStyle, and as I expected, most of them cost at least Dhs1,000. However, I did notice that apart from the accessories, they did sell one item that cost less than Dhs200.

this would be perfect for when I go to the park to walk and jog, don't you think?

I was all set on calling Hubby to ask him if we could go to the mall after work so that we could buy it. After all, I’ll just have to fork out Dhs99. Sayang naman kung hindi samantalahin ang pagkakataon.  I had even already chosen the color I wanted to buy it in.  But then I turned over the voucher and saw this...

darn!

So what’s the problem there? I don’t have an HSBC credit card!

back at the park and my inspirations to work out

Once again, I had excuses not to go to the neighborhood park last week for my (supposed to be) regular brisk walk/jog in the early evenings. On the top of the list were the meetings we had practically every night. And even though I would set the alarm for 5:40am so that I would do it in the mornings instead, the bed was just too comfortable to leave.

But finally, in spite of a (sort of) late night yesterday visiting friends, I decided that if all our nights would be like last week’s and if I really wanted to become more healthy, I had to start getting up early. So this morning, I pushed myself to get out of bed and, along with Hubby, we headed to the park at 6am.

I’ll be honest with you. One of the reasons why it took me so long to decide to start jogging in the morning was because I thought the park would be closed. If it was, I would have to settle on using the roads and streets around the area, and I didn’t want to do that alone. Which is why I asked Hubby to go with me today. But luckily, even though the sign outside the park said it opens at 8 o’clock, I was relieved to find it open and there were lots of other people going around the track.

After forty minutes of brisk walking and jogging for a total of almost 2.7 kilometers, we could feel the heat of the sun upon us, so Hubby and I walked back home.  The mix of crisp morning air, sunshine, and the energy boost we got from the workout felt really good. And since it’s much more better than in the evenings, I really, really hope I can do this morning exercise on a regular basis.

By the way, Hubby practically forced me to buy a new pair of shoes last week. For one thing, the soles of the ones I used to wear were almost falling apart. For another, para daw I’ll be more inspired to work out. And looking at the brand new gear for my feet that I have now (not to mention the price I had to pay for it), dapat lang na ma-inspire ako ‘di ba? =)

Before I forget, I have something to make kwento about...slightly off topic, but a bit related (magulo ba?! hahaha!). Yesterday morning in the elevator of our apartment building, a woman asked me how many babies I had (because she had seen me and Hubby waving to Sophie earlier). I told her 1 baby and a 4 year old child. To which she replied “Really? You don’t look like you have two kids!”

The second instance was also yesterday morning, but at work. A manager from a nearby hotel dropped by the office for her regular client visit. After the usual chit chat about business, the topic shifted to our ages and having children. When she said that I still had lots of time to have more kids if I wanted to, I told her that she was wrong because I was already 34. She was so surprised because she thought I was only 27.

Those two women really made my day yesterday! =)

for nutella addicts

While shopping for groceries, we came across these really big jars of the chocolate spread and Hubby just had to have a picture holding one.

almost as big as Sophie!

So in case all the Nutella addicts out there in Dubai are wondering where to get them, these are being sold at Carrefour, Deira City Centre for Dhs181.

jellies and the jigsaw

The other evening, Hubby and I were invited to try the buffet dinner at Jigsaw Restaurant in Movenpick Hotel Deira. Since we didn’t want to go home after work and then leave the kids again, we decided to pass away the time at Deira City Centre.

As we were strolling around, we came upon Shoe Mart and I suddenly remembered that I needed a new pair of sandals, so into the shop we went. I saw a nice pair of jewelled Fit Flops, but they were out of my budget. Then I saw some jelly sandals that were studded with Swarovski-like crystals, and I instantly knew I had to buy a pair. I remember wearing jellies when I was a kid, and they were so comfortable! It was good to see them back in fashion again. Anyway, it took me some time to buy the sandals that night because I was stuck in choosing which color to get. Finally, I decided to go for the safest option: black.

out with the old, in with the new (part 2)

We bought Piper from our friends back in September 2009 just before they migrated to Canada, and after we realized how difficult it was to commute around Dubai with a baby in tow. Even though she was a second-hand car, we rarely had any problems with her...and during the times she was in an accident (twice), it was always a green paper that was issued to us.

shopping for the baby...and cloth diapers

With a maximum of 5 weeks to go, we only finally bought the things we needed for Baby Tummy during the Eid holidays. Aside from the stuff we asked Mama to buy from the Philippines (yup, she finally arrived last Friday night), the only place we went to for the essentials was Babyshop which has so many branches in Dubai. Unfortunately though, there was no sale going on (in Babyshop or Centerpoint) but it was ok because there wasn’t much we had to buy anyway. So what we bought were a sterilizer, bottles, pacifiers, and breastpads. The Madela breast pump I was eyeing was quite expensive so we decided to wait until after I deliver in the hopes that it will be on sale by then. Aside from that, the only things left to buy were maternity pads (for me, of course), an anti-slip bathtub mat, and disposable diapers which we’ll purchase on our next trip to the supermarket. There was something I wasn’t planning on buying because I didn’t know they were available here, and this was…

the white goodness of tim tam

I love white chocolate! That’s why when we go grocery-shopping and I happen to come across biscuits or sweets that are covered in white chocolate, I just have to get a pack and put it in our trolley. But, as usual, I rarely open them right away. It would be several days or even weeks before I take a bite into whatever I bought. Naturally I make sure to check the expiry date if I do this. That’s delayed gratification for you. So anyway, that’s what happened when I saw this pack of Tim Tam White in Carrefour last month:

tasting my first grapple

I’ve never heard of this particular fruit, so of course I never even knew it existed. That is, until we went to Spinneys and saw several packs of it in the fresh produce section.

I admit that it intrigued me. Who wouldn’t? According to the label, it crunches likes an apple but tastes like a grape…that’s like two in one. So I took a pack and placed it in the trolley.

my holiday gifts to myself

Not counting the consumables, groceries, and food we buy regularly, I haven’t bought anything for myself for quite some time now. From what I recall, apart from buying Style, the only major shopping I did last year was during our vacation in the Philippines. Most of the time, I just wait and save my shopping money for when we go home because the clothes, accessories, and other stuff are much more cheaper there than here in Dubai; plus the quality is usually better even though they’re not branded. So unless I see something here that I really, really like or really, really need, I don’t buy anything for myself. However, over the holidays, I decided that I should be nice to myself and get myself some nice presents. So I thought and thought, and finally came up with these things that I wanted: