Christmas is fast approaching!

Christmas is literally just around the corner!  Still have a lot of things to do on my list before we come home next week.

We'll celebrate Christmas at my mother's, Ravi is coming this time.  He'll be there for just four nights though, from Dec 22-26.  Sarah and I will stay until Jan 1 evening.

Our vacation is mostly filled with spending time with family and relatives, meeting some friends, a homecoming event at Meralco Foundation Institute, an Intramuros Tour by Carlos Celdran, a Tagaytay trip, and hopefully a few shopping sprees before we go back.  As always, all these would pass by quickly while we're there.

It'll be a quick trip but Philippines is hands down the best place to spend Christmas! 

Playdate

We organized a playdate with Raine, Donald and Lhet's daughter, last November 16.  Raine is 4 months older than Sarah. 

We brought Chinese noodles and roasted chicken for dinner while they prepared leche flan and macaroni salad for dessert. 

The girls seemed to enjoy their playdate - running around, playing with Raine's toys, jumping on the bed and dancing.  The adults chatted while watching over the chikitings.  We plan to do it more frequently for these two girls.

Warming up to each other

Jumping on the bed and having some chocolates during the play break

With the mommies

Pink car rides, grocery carts and dances

GAP casting call

UPDATE:
Sarah didn't make the cut at the Top 25 baby Gap girls (0-5years old).  It's ok, we'll try again next year hahaha

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I got Sarah to join GAP Malaysia's casting call for their Spring 2012 collection kid model search. This is a regional search across Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore which kicked off two years ago. Hmmm, wonder why they never included Philippines in the search.

Anyway, one has to purchase first (a hefty!) RM200 minimum worth of Gap children clothes before one's kid can enter the contest.  Upon registration, kids would then be professionally photographed on site.  The best of several shots would be chosen as the entry photo.  They also printed out that photo as a souvenir!

I've read previously that GAP asked parents to submit their kids' best photo for the contest.  But this year it was discontinued.  Maybe because some parents go out of the way in Photoshop-ing their kids pictures.  This year's setup meant that infants and toddlers need to be on their best mood during the photoshoot, otherwise it'll be difficult to get their best smiles. Of course, we made sure Sarah was well fed and not in her cranky mood, coming to the photoshoot a few hours before her afternoon nap.  It was also a good thing that GAP provided a coloring area, a popcorn and cotton candy stand, and a clown to entertain the kiddos while waiting for their turns.

I have no high hopes that Sarah would win,  this is just an exercise of joining for fun.  Okay, okay I'll be honest.  I'm wishing she can get through the second round (top 100 kids) at least hahaha

Tomorrow (December 1) is the big reveal of the Top 100 kids.  This stage mom is crossing her fingers...and toes!

Registration

Coloring and balloon making for the kiddos while waiting

Waiting some more

Good mood during the shoot, even making her rubber ducky pout!

A visit to Kek Loh Si Temple

I brought along Sarah and Esther last Saturday to Kek Loh Si Temple.  The last time I've been there was when Juliet and Noli came for a visit 2 years ago, when Sarah was still in my tummy.  It was a good photo-op afternoon.  We weren't able to go up the big pagoda as there were no trams going up that day, so we ended up exploring the temple gardens which was actually pretty nice.

Kek Loh Si temple grounds

More of the temple grounds

Sarah and Mama shots

Macro shots of garden flowers

Penang driving experience

It's been almost 5 years since I started driving here in Penang and I must say it's an overall pleasant experience. 

I was initially apprehensive about driving on the other side of the road but I quickly got the hang of it. I love driving so driving on either side of the road is not an issue for me.

Admittedly, the road conditions are much better here than those back home but once in a while there would be the occasional potholes and uneven road tar, especially on the smaller roads. Traffic jams are more tolerable, peaking during rush hour period around Bayan Lepas Industrial Zone.  But that's kinda expected everywhere during rush hours.

Bad and errant drivers are the things that gets to my nerves. They are so bad that road accidents are much more frequent.  There was a time we would pass by an accident once every two weeks, and those happened on our normal home-work route!  That's saying a lot as our normal route is quite near the workplace.

Anyway, it's still better driving here compared back in the Philippines.

(Whenever I visit Philippines, I have to wire myself to use a manual transmission and to drive on the right side of the road.  Usually, I would sit in my trusted, old Toyota Revo's driving seat for at least a minute (if not more!), familiarize myself with the clutch pedal, wiper and signal levers, adjust my seat and the rear/side mirrors before I start driving.  Like what they say about riding bicycles, you really don't forget how.)

Singapore weekend (Nov 9-11, 2012)

Earlier this year, I watched the Carnage movie staring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly which I found interesting and funny.  Then I learned that Manila would have the play, starring Lea Salonga some more!  The Manila run did not fit my schedule so I thought that was it.

Until I saw an online ad saying there would be a Singapore run in November. Yipee for me!  So I started planning.

Ravi was on business travel during that time and he agreed when I got his permission to watch it.  His only condition was for us to be back before Deepavali (November 13) so his mother would not be alone.  It turned out that his cousin, Ongcara, picked up Auntie the night before we left (November 8).

I brought Sarah and Esther along.  And we ended up doing a tourist-attractions marathon on our 3-day stay.  I planned our itinerary pretty well so we were able to cover the basic tourist traps haha  The pictures below speak of our Lion City adventures.

Clockwise from top left: in front of one of MBS Shoppes stores, Sarah inside the efficient MRT, another shot before we headed to dinner at the food court and by a Christmas tree inside the Shoppes

Clockwise from top left: theater banner, with the Ms. Lea Salonga, Art Acuna and Mengchu Lauchengo-Yulo.  Proud of the Pinoy cast, their performances were excellent! 

Met up with Babie and husband Ramil for a late night cup of choco after the God of Carnage show.

Strolling along Orchard Road to meet Intel friends.

Thanks France for the Gerry's Grill lunch. Had a blast catching up with Intel friend From left: Marz, Sarah, Metchie, Sienna, Abel, Matthias and friend, Issa, France and Omeng.  Esther took the group shot.

At the Merlion Park and Universal Studio entrance.  Somebody's scared of the Reese Peanut Butter cup mascot!

Clockwise from top left: Watching the Birds and Buddies show at Jurong BirdPark, at Sentosa island, buying Garrett popcorn at USS, and playing with the rays at Underwater World

Clockwise from top left: At Jurong Bird Park's Bird & Buddies show, in front of Underwater World, at the Cable Car Sentosa station, and at the Sentosa island bridge

Clockwise from top left: Watching the dolphin show at Underwater World, cable car ride from Mt Faber, feeding the lorries at the Lorry Loft, and at the Bird Park tram

Clockwise from top left: requisite shot at the Jurong Bird Park signage, at Resort Worlds' Merlion mosaic, at Jurong Bird Park's Lorry Loft and at Vivo City's Christmas tree

Clockwise from top left: Sarah enjoying the dolphin show, Marz & Sarah by the pink flamingos, at the Merlion Park's One Fullerton signage and Sarah 'shopping' at the Candylicious store

Sarah's first Luge and Sky Ride at 22 months old :)

Happy Deepavali!

Deepavali - Festival of the Lights

It was just Sarah and me for this year's Deepavali day.
Ravi is on business trip at Costa Rica and later at Oregon.  Auntie is with Papa's family at Ipoh.

I was not feeling too well as I caught Sarah's cough and colds combo, felt drowsy from the company-provided medication given yesterday.   But I wanted to make Deepavali memories for Sarah so off we went during lunch.

Since Sarah was sleeping, I headed to Straits Quay which was further away to give Sarah her afternoon nap time.  She woke up when we reached the place.  I picked Bella Marina for lunch which turned out to be a good choice as Sarah ate the fetuccine carbonara very well.  We strolled around briefly as the afternoon sun was too hot. 
 

Sarah posing at home before we went out

Italian lunch for Deepavali :)

Strolling around Straits Quay

Next stop was at the Indian temple beside the Snake temple near the airport.  Unfortunately, it was closed so we went to Queensbay Mall instead.  While I had a body massage, Sarah and Esther were at the play area, Toys R Us and at Baskin Robbins.

Sarah at Queensbay Mall while waiting for Mama