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By  juliana, on July 2nd, 2009
Yes, our ninth wedding anniversary came and gone without the usual frills that I’m used to. It was devoid of the customary bells and whistles that is normally attached to the day.
This Chanel tote was a very thoughtful and generous present from my husband last year.
 
No, I didn’t get flowers, I was not a recipient of a single anniversary card neither, except for the card from my in-laws with the usual ‘check-gift’. We didn’t even go out to dinner. Although, a dinner out was planned we canceled at the last minute because of the thunderstorms that same day.
So, what gives? It’s very simple. I laid down the law and for once, I was heard LOL. Yes, for the past eight years, my husband has been excessively generous, and I made sure that this year, he was not going to get me anything extravagant. I requested that he forgo flowers and cards, as all I wanted was that we were together that day. I’m just being practical here, more so because we are about to embark on a ‘huge project’.
By juliana, on June 28th, 2009
 
Do you recognize my make-up artist? That’s Abbygale Arenas- de Leon.
By juliana, on June 27th, 2009
In 2006, a visit to the West Coast was in order. After an extended vacation in the Philippines the prior year, we opted to head out to California in the Spring of 2006. This was our fist visit together, as we have both visited the place several times when we were still single. Two weeks was not enough to enjoy the places of interest in Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Diego, Bakersfield and the nearby towns. While it was tiring because we had to stay in different hotels, it was definitely fun.
While based in Anaheim at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, we also took side trips to San Diego and Long Beach. The hotel’s proximity to the area provided a comfortable and relaxing environment at the end of each day. Just imagine our sore legs after a long day of driving and walking LOL.
We stayed for four days at the Four Season’s Hotel in Beverly Hills and played ‘tourists’ around the LA area all over again. Our stay in the hotel proved to be a good venue for Hollywood star sightings apart from enjoying the five star accommodation.
A trip to LA is not complete without dropping by the following sites:
  
 
We also got to spend a few days with my BFF in Bakersfield. While there, we visited the Sequoia National Park and personally got the chance to see the General Sherman tree, touted as the largest tree in the world, one behemoth of a tree at 275 feet and 2,200 years old.
  
Hearst Castle – located in San Simeon, California was the palatial estate of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.
 
By juliana, on June 27th, 2009
During these tough economic times, we are forced to prioritize and ensure that our spending is kept to a minimum. However, we still would want to guarantee our family’s security and protection.
Yes, we spend a fortune for a lot of insurances both those that are mandated and totally optional. That is why when you happen to be in that interesting stage right now, a.k.a. you are expecting a little bundle of joy, it is time to check out the Cryo-Cell testimonials. If you haven’t heard of Cryo-Cell in the past, just so you know, it is one of the world’s leading cord blood banks, wherein you can store your baby’s umbilical cord blood so that you can preserve your newborn’s stem cell. As professed by medical experts, the stem cells from umbilical cord blood are known to be invaluable in treating a lot of malignancies and disorders. With the experts from Cryo-Cell, their clients are ensured of superior quality and value-enhanced cryo preservation services.
In the midst of excitement and anticipation, there’s never been a better time than now, to take care of your baby’s future. Because Cryo-Cell is dedicated to helping expectant parents during one of the worst economic times, they have special current offers aimed to ease the family’s financial burden.
By juliana, on June 26th, 2009
Our destination in the Fall of 2007 was in the Caribbean – Aruba to be exact. Known to be the smallest island of the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao), this Caribbean destination has exceptionally dry climate which is why it is considered as one of the most desirable islands in the Caribbean.
The arid interiors of Aruba make for a good ground of sprawling cactus and aloe vera as well as the famous wind-bent divi-divi trees, and huge boulders strewn like marbles.
Known as the Las Vegas of the Caribbean, we had fun playing slots at various casino, but more than that, I had a good time hopping from one shop to the next, more so because shopping in Aruba is tax free.Take a look at their candy colored structures. These are their stores and the bottom pic with a dome is a shopping mall.
Our choice of accommodation: the Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino was great, as it is located in Oranjestad, the center.
This man had the best thrill of his life, can’t you tell?
Our week long stay in Aruba was relaxing and fun. Although, we have no plans on going back, it certainly is one trip that will always be remembered.
By juliana, on June 23rd, 2009
Yes, I’m still in the flashback mode. Our biannual vacation is on hold. Even if we are itching to get on a plane to take us to our choice destinations this year, I doubt if it will happen anytime soon.
The next best thing for me now is to just reminisce and look at old photographs of the places we have been to. It is actually time consuming, and whenever I start to browse I get lost in the tons of photos that we have accumulated all through the years. I didn’t realize that I also need to get all the pics organized and sorted properly.
Maine, as I have said before and I’m saying it again, is one place that I will never tire of visiting over and over again. In fact, it is our number 1 choice where we plan to purchase a retirement home. The “beat” of Maine is the exact opposite of New York, the pace of life seem to be at a standstill. The streets are pedestrian friendly, they have more than 60 lighthouses, the people are very welcoming and of course, I love the food.
Want lobster everyday? Head on to Maine.
How can I forget the best ice cream? Beal’s! Only in Maine.
By juliana, on June 23rd, 2009
I discovered the wonderful world of blogging in 2003 but I did not get my feet wet right off the bat. Despite my penchant for writing, at that time I preferred to bloghop and just read all the wonderful blogs that caught my attention. In 2004, while I was busy preparing for our renewal of wedding vows (our fifth anniversary in 2005 held in Makati), it was then that I thought it was a great idea to document the preparations and write about it on a blog. But because I had my hands full, coordinating with the wedding planner and the raucous involved while planning remotely, I did not get to start it. I knew that the perfect time will come thus, in July 2007 I went ahead and created a blog.
I must admit that finding the perfect webhost was not an easy task, as there are plenty of web hosting options out there. I was told by well meaning friends to shop around and read up on reviews of the different web hosts.
Having a self hosted site is the best way to go. You have total control of your site and nothing can be better than that. Thus, if you are mulling over the idea of having a self hosted site, the reviews on WebHostingGeeks will come in handy while you decide which professional web host to get. The reviews are comprehensive, and I’m sure that after flipping through their pages, you’ll come up with a well informed decision.
I’m no techie, in fact, I’m far from that but I do read up on topics related to web hosting. I figured, I’m into this already, so I may as well try to learn and understand a bit.
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