My first real Christmas tree

Scott and I went to pick and buy my first real Christmas tree today. It was cool on how they sell live Christmas trees here in the US. We are going to grow it and hopefully we can still use it in the coming years. 😊

Happy birthday to me!

Scott has planned a surprise party for me. It was a surprise because he only told me that his Dad can't come to the party that her mom and sisters are planning for me so he wants to celebrate it earlier.
We had a lunch at his Dad's house with Gina, then there was a cake-cutting. After that, Dad and Gina gave me my gifts - coffee and toilettries.
Then his Dad said we are going to set-up the Christmas tree so Scott and I went to the other room to collect the Christmas decorations. When I reached the room, I saw the surprise gift from Scott and it is a mountain bike. He told me he wants to go with me biking that is why he bought me that plus we need to lose weight. I have never had my own bike in my whole life that is why I feel so blessed and humbled by this surprise gift from the Lord.
Of course, I rode in it right away. :)

Recent picture

To my family and friends, here is the recent pic we have. Yes, we are gaining weight but we are actually doing something to be better and lose it so we can be healthy.

It would just be a tough call since Thanksgiving is on the way this coming week plus Christmas and New Year are coming soon too.

This photo was just taken today, November 18, 2012 and this room is my room (according to Mom) as all my books and stuffs are stored in here. :) But this room used to be Scott's sister's room who has her own house and family now.

Gabriel's 1st birthday party

Today has been a long day as we started our Saturday morning preparing to attend Gabriel Acosta's 1st birthday party. Gabriel is Scott's nephew from his stepbrother Omar who is the same age as Scott. We have to leave the house around 11:30 am and drive all the way to Omar and Nichole (Omar's girlfriend)'s house, which is in another city near Temecula.

Unlike in the Philippines, the express way/freeway view is full of hills. I grew up in the Philippines staring at rice fields, flat lands along the freeway. While in Singapore, the freeway view there is mostly high rise apartments and condominiums. Here in the US, it's just wilderness mixed with residential houses and some business establishments.

After almost 2 hours of driving there, we finally arrive in the house and here is Gabriel, the birthday boy.

And these are his cupcakes and his birthday cake. I have learned here that 1 year old kid have their own little cake that they can eat on their own once the candles has been blown. The 1 year old celebrant is allowed to eat it with his/her bare hands and make a mess out of it.

The party had a taquero who is a taco guy who prepares tacos and quesadillas to the visitors. This taco guy has his own stall that you rent so he can prepare the food for you fresh and hot.

All in all, the party was great. I have met my stepdad's side of the family. They are all nice and what is funny is, my stepdad's mom looks like my Father's mom. I suddenly miss my family in the Philippines, all of them, the kids and the oldies. 

New blog! :)

I have just started this blog to update my family and friends in the Philippines, Singapore and USA. I have had 2 previous blogs before that I have deleted as most of it were just emotional e-diary that I have been updating depending on my mood.
I have decided to do this as I feel I owe to my immediate family in the Philippines to know how and what I am doing here in the US. I have been away from them for almost 5 years when I moved to Singapore to work and I have been farther away now that I am living the married life in the US.
I would be updating this blog on my whereabouts, my current activities, my latest reads, and my recent musings. I would try to post also some of my old entries from my blogs before. I am really excited for this blog as I want my kids also to see how their parents met and how I ended up living here in San Diego from the small town of Malvar, Batangas in the Philippines.
So to all of my loved ones, stay tune! :)

SeaWorld Adventure

Today Scott and I went to SeaWorld together with his good old friends, the couple Frankie and Selene. Before we went to Frankie's house to meet them, we went first to Kaiser Hospital to get my X-ray result. I am having all the TB Skin test and Xray test done again because the County of San Diego has to sign a clearance for me to make sure I'm TB free when I moved here. They are so strict with this disease that anyone who had a history of this has to undergo multiple kinds of tests. :(

After going to Kaiser and getting clearance from their doctor so we could present it to the County, we headed to Frankie's house and met the couple there. We decided to bring only 1 car with Selene driving it.

The first stop we had is to watch the Shamu show. Shamu is the Killer whale who is the lead star of this theme park. He is a killer whale but he is so adorable and sweet the entire show. He just made us laugh and awed with how cute he looks like from doing all the tricks of the show.

The energy of Selene, Frankie, and Scott are so high that we ended up riding the Manta Ray ride twice on that day. It was a rough roller coaster that made me scream the whole time I was in it and just wishing that the ride would stop soon.

Manta Ray ride that would take you up and down in a snap

Then we also rode the Atlantis ride that splashes water as you go down the trail ride. It was so high that I don't feel like riding something like this since I just had a Manta Ray ride, but Selene and Frankie wants it so bad that Scott and I ended up riding it too. I mean, the reason we were there is to have fun so might as well try everything. After the ride, Selene ended up soaking wet down from her waist. She has to buy a sweat pants so she can change as the weather was chilly that day that it's not comfortable to wear a damp clothing or you will end up sick.

Scott is trying to talk them out on riding this Atlantis ride.

His effort was futile because the couple really wants it so bad.

Then we head to the Dolphin afternoon show. The show was cool because as the dolphins are doing their tricks, there were some live acrobats also diving and dancing in the stage.

After the shows and the rides, we tried exploring more the theme park and we just went see the different aquariums showcasing all the sea creatures.

Jellyfishes

Sea Lion

Polar bear

Penguins

This is the 2nd tourist destination I have been to in San Diego. I just thank the Lord for the opportunity of visiting these places here. I am crossing fingers and praying also that I would be able to bring my family here from the Philippines so they can experience this themselves. :)

Happy 1st Birthday Nica! :)

Happy 1st birthday to my niece Nica Olivia Galit! :) I pray to the Lord that you be blessed with good health. May you grow up to be one of the nicest kids that your parents can be proud of. I love you Nica and I hope even though I don't see you grow up, you will remember me and Uncle Scott.

Happy birthday also to my Aunt, Tita Helen, and my beautiful cousin, Kimkim. I pray that both of you will be blessed with good health, more wealth and peaceful mind. :)

Farewell with Friends

The last 2 weeks in Singapore are just farewell dinners with friends. We are going to be out of the country for good as Scott and I agreed that settling down in the US is the best thing to do if we want to start a family and have kids soon. So right after I got my US Visa on the 29th of August 2012, we decided to leave the country on the 30th of September and go back to the Philippines first so we can spend some time with my family.

I'm going to miss all my friends in Singapore as they have all been a part of my 5 year stay there. I have met a lot of friends when I stayed in Singapore and some were friends for a season and some just remained friends for a reason.

Farewell Dinner at Marche with Raymond and Angely

Farewell Dinner at Bonifacio with my ex-auditors, Hui Sim, Yvonne and Swee Huat

Farewell Dinner with my Pare Gelo and Mare Abi at Makansutra, Gluttons Bay

Farewell Dinner at Pastamania with my very good Singaporean friend, Irene. She used to work with me at Bouygues construction partner in Singapore, Dragages Construction.

My very good friend Kim!!!! She is just hilarious and very neat like my husband. We met each other in Getty as she used to be the Marketing Manager of iStock. Together with us is her boyfriend, Tom :)

Farewell Dinner with my Finance colleague and friend, Kylie and her husband, Roy.

Farewell Dinner at Ajisen with my close friend Lynn who used to be the AR Specialist at Getty.

Farewell Dinner with Scott's colleagues - Shirley and Nancy

Farewell lunch with my best friend in SG, Gladys and her husband, Pareng Gerry

My close friend Chai who I just met in the mall to say goodbye. She is my partner when I was still looking for a job in Singapore and we met each other through church.

Goodbye Getty Images

I would surely miss Getty Images team as they have been my constant family for 3 years in Singapore. I have had different housemates and different residences here in SG but Getty has been my constant companion for the whole 3 years.

I would miss my work (sniff, sniff) but most of all, I would miss the people I worked with from Getty Images Sydney, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Seattle and most of all, Singapore :).

Thank you so much guys for arranging a farewell cake-cutting and the cards you have given me. The farewell messages deeply touched my heart. Thank you also for the US Dollars from my Singapore team and the camera from my boss, Rasheed Chandler.  I will miss you all!!!! I will miss you so much that I sometimes wish our LA Office has Finance department there. Haha. God bless everyone and thank you for all the love! Hope to see you again in the future! :)

The cake-cutting begins. 

With my friends, Ivy and Liyana

With another friend, Jo

Gonna miss this red wall office

Jellyhearts cake treat from my colleague, Candie who happens to own this bakeshop too.

Cards from Singapore, Seattle and Sydney team plus some moolah from the Sales Director

Lightweight camera from my boss, Rasheed