Turning 31 | It's Miller Time!

My siblings threw a somewhat surprise party (somewhat, because they told me about it first thing in the morning) for me yesterday, in celebration of my birthday. Yep, I just turned 31.

Pizza, pasta, pastry. And chicken, too.

My sister-in-law made spaghetti (which the little man loves) and fried some chicken, too. My brother, meanwhile, bought pizza from Pizza Hut. As for my boys, they got me this Coffee Crumble cake from Red Ribbon.

Hearts and smiles.

Now look at the kids as we sang the Birthday Song. My little man sang the loudest while my niece clapped her hands gleefully. What an adorable sight!

Thanks Mum, for planning this even while you're out of the country. To my sibs and sibs-in-law, thank you for preparing this 'surprise' party. And to my two boys, thank you for making my life a lot more meaningful.

To my friends, colleagues, fellow fangirls, and everyone else who texted, tweeted, DM'd, and posted on my Facebook wall, thank you for the birthday greetings! You all made my birthday a very happy one!

Whoosh! It's Miller time!

*Reggie Miller, my most favorite NBA player of all time, wears jersey number 31. 

Sharing with Food Friday, Food Trip Friday, Heavenly Treats Sunday, InstaFriday. 

Toys for the Big Boys.

Three Christmases ago, my son received his very first drivable toy car from his grandmother (my Mum) - a yellow All-Terrain Vehicle. Mum knows I'm a huge fan of Stone Cold Steve Austin (my son's second name was actually taken after him), so she made sure that her grandson's ATV is a close resemblance of Austin's vintage quad. The little man loved his ATV a lot, and he still plays with it to this very day.

I have a feeling, though, that it won't be long when he'd ask for his own 'big ATV'. Lately he's been telling me that his legs feel crammed while driving, and his weight might be too much for his ATV to carry - as if hinting that it's time to get a new and bigger one. One of these days he might just tell me outright to buy him the real deal - a Yamaha Rhino, complete with Yamaha Rhino accessories.

If that time comes, I won't be too surprised. And then I would just tell him to go ask Grandma, because Grandma has a better eye for detail, knows a lot more about ATVs than I do. But best of all, because Grandma hardly ever says no.

My Journey Called A!Life.

When I went back to blogging a year ago, all I had in mind was to do what I love to do the most - write. Back then, all I wanted was to end my blogging hiatus, pick up from where I left off, and start writing again. I knew nothing about Alexa stats, page rankings, giveaway hops, or sponsored posts. And I have never, in a million years, thought that blogging would land me THIS.

Livin' the A!Life!

The highlight of my stint as a Brand Ambassador for A!Life, and perhaps the biggest break so far in my blogging career - a product advertisement with me on it! Craaaaa-zy, I know! :)

We did the photoshoot last October at the Summit Media Studio, where I finally had the chance to meet my fellow brand ambassadors Dominique Tiu and Martha Sta. Barbara, plus the winners of the Take Control! Live the A!Life contest Kai Grafia and Ruby Papio. Our wardrobe and accessories were provided by Mango, while our 'makeover' was done by a professional makeup artist and a professional hair stylist.

In the midst of this fun chaos that is the A!Life photoshoot, Domz, Martha, Kai, Ruby, and I all sat down for a fun and laidback interview with Cosmo.ph. Each of us were given an A!Life product to represent, and since I am the oldest in the bunch, (and no, I'm not afraid to admit that I'm even turning 31 TODAY) I was given A!Life Restore. It's an anti-aging supplement which contains Injuv, a Hyaluronic acid that restores moisture from within the cells, rejuvenates the skin, and prevents the onset of fine lines and wrinkles.

And with that, we're now on the Lifestyle Picks section of Cosmo.ph, where our photos and interviews are featured individually. Here's how my spread looks like.

Restore and Control.

Pretty amazing, huh? Quite an achievement too, considering I've been blogging mainstream for just a year plus the fact that I am hardly seen - unheard of, even - at social events. And to be pitched by a pharmaceutical company as reputable as Pascual Laboratories is truly overwhelming. I am most grateful for having been given this wonderful opportunity!

And to those who have been with me since Day One of my A!Life journey - Zel and Mich of Yehey!, Ms. Elaine of HN Laguna, my blog readers and followers, thank you for being with me every step of the way! All of this wouldn't have been possible without you! Ever onward! :)

Of Movers and Shakers.

One of my mommy friends from the little man's school has been missing in action since the start of the week. Apparently, their family moved house over the weekend, and my friend is the one overseeing everything - packing and unpacking of their stuff, loading and unloading of their furniture, and the interior decorating of their new home.

And from what I heard, there were even a few mishaps along the way. They had to make several trips from their old apartment to the new house because the moving truck wasn't spacious enough to load their stuff all at once. The movers weren't too careful either, and one of her precious vases broke into pieces as their furniture were being unloaded from the truck.

Had she availed the services of Demenagement Montreal, she could have saved herself from all the trouble, and her precious vase would have been safe, too.

Moving house is a Herculean task. But with careful planning, and with Demenagement Montreal assisting every step of the way, moving wouldn't be as burdensome. They have moving consultants that do ocular inspections prior to moving. A packing crew carefully prepares the family's possessions, while highly-trained van operators and their crew will do the loading and unloading. Finally, there are so-called destination members to assist the family as they settle in their new home.

Perhaps my friend and her family hasn't settled in completely. Either that, or she's still nursing a broken heart over her shattered vase.

Wordless Wednesday #16 | Christmas is in the Air!

Photos from last Saturday's Christmas Parade at SM San Pablo. :)