Spending time with my BFFs

Paris Hilton isn't the only one who loves to spend time with her BFF. I had a great time with two of my favorite BFFs yesterday. I got a new job as a freelance editor thanks to Tricia who told me about the opening. She was going to the office to process her maternity benefits documents and I was called in for contract signing. After all the forms and documents were filled up, we were famished and decided to grab a late lunch at the nearby SM mall. It was fun comparing notes on our little girls and life as stay-at-home and work-at-home mommies.

Tricia is my oldest friend, we've known each other since we were 8 years old! We were classmates in second grade and busmates all throughout grade school. Way before e-mail, we kept up a regular correspondence through the old fashioned way, snail mail when we transferred to different high schools. Every special occasion such as birthdays, Valentine's and Christmas, we would send each other cards and letters. This went on during college, until we both went to work and eventually got married. We were on each other's wedding entourages and she is one of my daughter's godmothers. With the advent of the mobile phone and the internet we are able to keep in touch more easily. She's now preggy with her second baby and counting the weeks to go.

After I dropped her off in her house I called up my other BFF, Hazel. I wanted to swing by ATC to go shopping for a cocktail dress and a gown my brother's upcoming wedding and thought it would be a good time to meet up. Luckily she was free and it turns out was also in need of a gown to wear to a friend's wedding. We had a blast trying on gowns and dresses. It felt like the quest for the holy grail. The dress would either be too tight or would realistically look better on a mannequin, read, someone with a model-thin figure. I ended up buying a fab black and red dress. Hazel was unsure about getting this sexy red piece because of the steep price so we looked at other shops but couldn't find any that measured up to the red number. We took so long that by the time we went back for the first gown she liked, the store was closed. Hazel said she would just go back for the dress another time and if it was still there then it was meant to be. I also tried on a light gray goddess style gown but was hesitant to get it because it showed off unflattering parts of my body, if you know what I mean.

We were tired after all the fittings and running around two different malls on our search for the perfect dress that we ended the day with a yummy pasta and salad dinner (ahem, gotta watch the figures!) Hazel is my BFF from high school and although we don't regularly keep in touch as much as Tricia and I, we always manage to pick up where we left off from our last conversation, no matter how many weeks or months ago that was.

It was fun hearing about my longtime friend, her love life and the corporate world for a change. We talked about our families and reminisced about the high school days.

I was out for a whole day and it was so nice to just relax and catch up on some girl talk and bond with some of my favorite people. I really cherish and relish moments like these especially now that I am married. Once you're married you sometimes tend to neglect your friends and get caught up with your new family and all the things that go with running a household, making a living and raising your kids. I look forward to my next date with my girl friends.

Snippets of a holiday

There are no malls in Marshall Islands. It’s that small a country. The biggest supermarket though, also sells houseware and clothes much like Shopwise. So when we went home we made sure to drop by our favorite malls. Glorietta, Alabang Town Center, Bonifacio High Street, SM and Festival Mall. Being mall-deprived for four months we just soaked up everything, the shops, the lights, the sounds, the people. Ahhh, the fastest way to get back into the Manila groove is to go to a mall.

My best friend from grade school, invited me to the Karl Edwards’ Bazaar at the NBC Tent. It was fun walking around and marveling at the different merchandise for sale. I mostly bought clothes for Raine, including a 2-piece Baby Gap swimsuit for only PhP 150 and an adorable hooded bathrobe for PhP 350! What a bargain!

We spent 5 days in hubby’s hometown in Victorias City in Negros Occidental, about an hour’s drive from Bacolod City. They have a spanking new international airport in Silay. Very sleek and modern. It was only Raine’s second time to visit the province. She was 10 months old the first time we came over. It can be a bit overwhelming mind you, since Papa, hubby’s Dad has, 12 siblings (2 already passed away) who each have families, some of whom also have families of their own. So you can just imagine how big their brood is.

Of course hubby had to play 18 holes of golf at the nearby country club, while Raine and I went to visit their farm. Raine enjoyed looking at the cows and the chickens. Papa even showed off two of his best cockfighting hens much to the delight of the little girl. We have one 10 month old niece from hubby’s sister Joy. Raine seemed in awe of Baby Louie. I had to keep reminding her to be gentle when she touched her, or held her hand. I think Raine thought she was a doll.

We were able to get in some spa time as well. We tried one at a mall and also had some home service done. The home service massage though was better and more relaxing than the one at the mall. My masseuse was even able to remove the crick on my shoulder blades. Raine was watching while I was getting my massage and after that whenever I lie on my tummy she would pretend to massage me. She would rub her tiny hands together, as if there was some oil in it and then move her palms down my back like a real masseuse.

Raine was invited to two children’s parties while we were home. First was to her cousin Annika’s 3rd birthday party and then, to my Dad’s friend’s grandson’s 1st birthday. The little girl was in her element. She hadn’t seen so many kids her age and race for so long. She thoroughly enjoyed the whole kiddie party atmosphere.

I got a chance to catch a cheesy Pinoy romantic flick with my highschool best friend Hazel. We agreed to watch the Aga Muhlach and Anne Curtis starrer "When Love Begins" and were anticipating a nice movie with some kilig, some funny, some insightful moments on our favorite topic. But the movie failed to deliver. We succumbed to making up our own stories and comments about the actors during the “dead-air” moments, which were more than we liked. Although the movie turned out to be a dud, I can truthfully say I still had fun watching it because of the company of my friend.

Thankfully we caught the first Saturday mass at the Pink Sisters’ convent with my college friend Mayang and her sisters. It was May and every house in Tagaytay seemed to be having a party that was spilling into the streets that day. We were in crawling traffic for 3 hours and made it just in time for the special mass. We had a relaxing dinner at Sonia’s Garden later.

Reunions here and there, meeting up with former neighbors, college friends, childhood friends. It was a whirlwind of activity for us, most especially for hubby since he had to cram it all in 2 weeks while Raine and I extended our stay for an extra couple more. I’m thankful for the time we were able to spend in our hometowns with our families. Up to now, Raine still remembers Lolo and Annika. When she can’t sleep at night I tell her stories about our trip to the Philippines and she listens intently with her big round eyes and repeats the names of everybody back home.

It’s back to the daily grind for me and hubby here in the islands. Sigh, it was only a month but it was we’ll always cherish. ‘Til the next one in December!