DIY MINI COTTON “CANDY” INVITATIONS by Oh Happy Day!

I really have a soft spot for all things miniature. Anything that’s awesome in its regular size just gets oh so much more adorable in mini. So, when i was thinking of a fun way to invite friends to a little backyard carnival, the idea for these mini cotton candy invitations popped into my mind. Now, these are really not suitable for little kids – they might try eat the cotton, but older children and grown-ups like me will go crazy over these sweet things with the hidden message inside! You can use them as invitations like I do or you could make them as the carnival alternative to fortune cookies and hide little fortunes inside. READ MORE...

What this Little Girl Did Made Me Jumped for Joy!

I am a first-time mommy. All are new to me. There are sacrifices, change of priorities, and blissful experiences which right now I know I wouldn't trade for anything else.

We celebrated Mother’s Day last May 10. I am happy to be with my daughter during that day. She just turned three months old last 6^th of May and her Daddy and I are very proud that she is growing fast and advance.

That morning, I know that she got a lot of sleep because her mood is light. She laughed at me and she didn't cry. After a while, she wanted to lie on her front so I helped her. I turned on the camera on video mode and talked to her like we always do.

Watch how happy she is and how she say some words I didn't expect her to.

Have you notice the last few seconds of the video? I told Athena that I love her. And it seems like she wanted to answer me the same words. To many, it’s just baby’s funny little noises. But to me, it’s what can be the sweetest words a child could say to her mother.

Happy Mother’s Day to all! 

Xoxo.arabella

True Love

As cheesy as the movies' themes nowadays, do people still believe in true love? 

Speedy technology and affordable cosmetics, will you be able to definitely find "The One"?

Why am I writing this? Honestly, I also don't know. The topic just crossed my mind yesternight when I tried so hard finding sleep. Whew!

True love? Yes, I believe it exists - but not for me. Just like a lightning. You know it's there and it strikes into something - maybe a tree, a house, an electric post, or even just in a plain lot. However, I don't see it coming to me! That's how I see true love.

But how do I come up with this very description? Let's see factors. One, society. I am in the midst of a changing environment. My parents raised me to become a conservative one, and it's because everyone else does. But now that I'm a grown up, life becomes more challenging and exciting. Teens do lotsa stuff I never imagined happening before. And so it goes.

Two, myself. I keep on changing my mind! Well, don't we, women? I also don't have the characteristics of an ideal girlfriend. Haha! Not that I'm boyish! Haler. Maybe I have this a little Westernized attitude in me. Blah blah blah... Oh well. Remove that spotlight away from me!

Three, lifestyle. It's more fun in the Philippines! Nothing I want to do with my life now but traveling, reading books, shopping, food tripping, sleeping and writing. I guess you see no love in the equation. Hahaha!

Looking at Pinoys, I know that true love makes people see life very positively. The world revolves only for us and that's why we look forward in falling in it. The hurt we feel when we broke up from love is less than the happiness we feel when we are in love. So hopelessly romantic!

But for me, I am stuck with my lightning-love comparison. Well, that's how I see it. I guess it's a matter of prospective.

Can anyone help me see the other side?

xoxo.arabella.

Thank you BIG !

Simply Bacolod - Ilo-ilo - Guimaras...

TRAVEL

We, the YL Club, booked our ticket to Bacolod roughly August last year via Cebu Pacific Air (www.cebupacificair.com). With less preparations and lots of prayers, we managed to enjoy our three days three nights vacation in Western Visayas.

The Schedule was:
June 12 night - arrival at Bacolod
June 13 - Mambukal Resort
June 14 - Guimaras, via Ilo-ilo
June 15 afternoon - Arrival at Manila

Luckily, we were so safe and blessed all through out our travel. Praise the Lord! (PTL!) Filipinos are hospitable at any parts of the country. We do not have any contact person, or any reservations to any hotel, but we were able to enjoy everything - find a good place to stay, nice weather to go around, kind people to ask, and yummy food to eat.

I never expected that there was a LPA affecting Manila during weekend. And so, apologies to our parents who almost stop us from going to Bacolod! But we're back and I'm blogging now so I think they don't have to worry anymore. hihi!

FOOD

That's Forever

One step forward and two step back. Man, how we wish that it’s always the other way around. But that’s how the world works, right? We never know what the future holds for us. That mystery in life remains to exist. What else can we do when things turn out of the way we never expected?

It all started with a “Hi!”, or even “Oops! Sorry!” Nevertheless, everybody can just be the Ms. Congeniality or Mr. Meet-and-Greet. There’s no definite beginning in friendship unless you tried to talk it out on your daily journal- write the date and list the entire meetings you have in a day. Thousands of random people surround us. We cannot discount the fact that every day, people cross our roads without knowing who will stay or not.  They may see you, ignore you, or stop by the corner and have a chat with you.

We are aware that friendship is a slow growing thing. We never look at it as a short term-relationship. Sometimes we deal on what’s presently going on like setting up hang–outs, parties, and get togethers, or even planning road trips, food trips, and reunions.  And as time flies by, we barely noticed that those are the moments we cherished and treasured. Those jiffies that we spent time with them are the memories we kept deep in our hearts. And when we tried to look back at the past, we recall a series of laughters, tears, and even heartbreaks which makes us all stronger and braver.

Friendship. A life-long commitment. A sacrifice. A pure bond.

But in this relationship, we are aware that there is no assurance. Every day, we face into a battlefield, where the ending is but a question. We fought as a front liner who deals with the problems firsthand, accepting all the gunshots and hit back with revenge. We play hide and seek. When we have the opportunity, we attack. But when we can foresee losing the battles, we retreat. If someone retracted from the war, we decide. Should we continue to fight for the things we believe? Or quit at it because we don’t see the fairness anymore?

People change and that is an absolute thing. What keep us holding on to this is that we learn to adjust, keep up, and reinvent the relationship. Acceptance. The key to a good relationship is when you accept the person as a package. Whatever is there inside the box, you just hold it and admit it without any doubt. A friend is a gift, like angel in disguise (boo! That’s a bit mushy.) We feel blessed and safe with them. We share secrets, embarrassing moments, kilig stories and surprises. We do things together – drink, eat, sleep, watch movies, dance and sing. That’s why we always wanted to be with them. And even in the midst of the war, we know the honestly of our hearts and it always belong to friends no matter what.