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Ganda Ever So Much!

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I had a pleasant discovery today, a new blog to follow and *stalk.* Thanks to sis Lucky Zoan, I found myself getting acquainted with another blogger – the person behind what seems to be a hip-happening blog – Ganda Ever So Much! Pangalan pa lang, winner na 🙂 I’d have to admit, if the blog name wasn’t so interesting, and if the logo wasn’t what it was, I probably would have passed off on it and moved on to another blog. But no, who wouldn’t do a double-take on this one:

They say first impressions last, and Ganda Ever So Much definitely knows how to impress 🙂 The blog layout is striking and I would share a screenshot of its header but I am currently using a small laptop that makes doing that quite challenging. (I’ll try to update this post with that when I have control of my PC again :D).

With a frog as its mascot, the first thing that came to mind was that this blogger must be a hoot for company! I mean, the person must be down-to-earth fun. Since this is my first visit, I checked out his About Me page and then I was even more convinced to come back and read up on his posts. He’s in General Santos, a city I have passed through maybe once or twice during trips to Mindanao for work. I’m interested to know if he blogs about events and happenings from there.

Anyway… Ganda Ever So Much is hosting several giveaways in the weeks leading up to his Blogoversary. This post is an entry for its third week. Do click on the frog to jump over there, as you can see on the screen capture, he has already revealed what prizes are in store for the week 3 contest. Even if you’re not interested in the giveaway, you’re bound to find something in his writing that will get you hooked! 🙂

A Birthday Giveaway?

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My birthday’s coming up (next month) and I would like to finally launch my second giveaway.

Here are some ideas and I’d love to hear feedback for them:

  • Like from my Got Heart Planner Giveaway, each comment posted on my blog (during a specific timeframe) merits one entry.
  • Blog about the giveaway and get bonus points (to be determined or TBD).
  • Blog about Baby Jon Angelo and earn even more bonus points; supporting his cause by giving a donation and/or purchasing Breathe Hope bracelets would earn additional points too! (advocacy for Jon would be awesome!)
  • Subscribing to my RSS feeds, will be a requirement. This would be for three blogs: this one, The Newbie Photographer, and Between the Covers.
  • Prizes include: Human?Nature gift pack/s, a book (it’s pre-loved, I unintentionally bought two of a certain title) or two, a reusable bag or two…
  • If you’d like to help me out and sponsor more prizes (cash/in kind, maybe even free trial of services you offer like brochure printing, or blog design, or something), I’d super appreciate it and blog about YOU! 🙂

I’d love to launch the contest on July 1 🙂

So what do you think? Would you sign up?

Happy birthday Ma!

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It’s my mom’s birthday! Because of that, it’s a holiday in the cities of Manila and San Juan. She has work though since we live (and work) in QC. 😀

<<Imagine smiling photo of Ma in this space>>

Ma turns a year older today, but she still doesn’t look her true age. She’s one of those women who can proudly say that age is just a number. 🙂 I so want to show you a nice photo of her, one where she might actually be smiling. The ones I took from our Causeway lunch weren’t very flattering. I promise to take a nice one and update this post with it. The birthday girl deserves to have her photo splashed onto these pages. haha 🙂

Ahhh for the meantime, let’s use a photo from last year:

In her FB status, Ma mentioned that she’s starting to feel her age, but seriously she doesn’t look it (oh, I’ve said that already?). She can star in her own wrinkle cream commercial and people will buy the product. She doesn’t have much wrinkles. Truth be told, she’s often mistaken to be my sister!  🙂

Ma is addicted to Facebook like I am. She probably even updates her status message more than I do. We often Co-op in Farmville, and she watches over the dishes cooking in my Cafe World when I can’t. 🙂

They say (I don’t know who they are though) that as we grow older, we become like our parents. Some people don’t like the thought of that. As for me, I really wouldn’t mind if I became just like her. 🙂

I don’t say this often enough, I love you Mommy! 🙂

Human(Heart)Nature

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Today I signed up to be a Dealer for Human Nature. (the editor keeps on removing the heart symbol!)

I heard about the company and their cause a few months ago. I’ve wanted to sign up since then, but the insane heat always kept me from going to checkout their main office and submit the sign up requirements. There was an option to register online, but I wanted to go there myself. Cousin Freedah was with me today, along with Esban. Freedah will be my partner in crime for spreading the word about this venture. 🙂

It doesn’t cost too much to be part of the company. What drew me in was the fair trade philosophy that Gandang Kalikasan, the company behind Human?Nature, embodies. Pro-Philippines, Pro-Poor, and Pro-Environment.

Checkout the website if you want to know more about Human?Nature, or drop me a message. 🙂

I took shots of the products we brought home with us but, as usual, I’m not ready to post them yet. 🙁

I did try two products tonight and love how cool my face felt afterwards. It was the Tomato and Lemongrass Facial Wash, and the Royal Jelly and Aloe Vera Night Mosturizer. Love love love them so far. Can’t wait to try out the other products!

Vien and Adam

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Because I’ve been on vacation, I had the chance to finally meet these two adorably bright kids:

He is Adam, three years old. She is Vien, four years old. You might have seen her elsewhere, she’s appeared in magazines before 🙂 Hehe. These kids belong to my girlfriends Anliza and Everth. I met those two back in grade school and I don’t see them very often. I crashed their party on Wednesday night just because I could. Haha!

They are so full of energy, and both were talkative (though in different ways). It was so much fun just watching them have fun and fool around. Of course, I also did get to catch up with their moms. Last time all three of us went out to just have a chat was more than a year ago (I think). And I’ve always just heard about their kids and looked at their photos. They’re more lovable in person 🙂

We got to talking about how expensive putting kids through school is. And how it might be hard to give the same things you’ve given to your first-born to kids that come after. And it isn’t because you play favorites, but because it’s just too expensive already. They both only have one child each.

Vien started school this week while Adam is still too young. Soon enough, they’d both be preparing for college entrance exams! Hay.

My eldest niece has just started senior year in high school. One time over the summer, her mom mentioned looking for an affordable review center to enroll her in. They want to prepare for the UPCAT (entrance exam for the University of the Philippines). Though I didn’t have to enroll in such classes, I do remember spending afternoons and weekends with my friends going through reviewers and sample exams. Those were enough for me, but yeah, it wouldn’t hurt to have more help.

For some of us, the UPCAT is the most important exam we’ll ever have to take. Others move on to take more crucial, life-altering exams like the LAE for UP Law, and the NMAT to qualify for Med school (it’s like the GMAT for business schools in the US), etcetera.  Oh and that’s not to mention the bar/board/licensure exams you need to take before you can practice what you’ve just spent years studying for. No wonder there is a huge market for review and tutorial centers. We need a lot of help preparing for the many tests we’d have to take. These centers specialize too. You have ones specializing for gmat prep, nursing board review prep, bar exam prep, and so on.

Oh well, life is a series of tests, one right after another.

Hey, how did I get here? One moment I was gushing over how cute Vien and Adam are, the next I’m talking about exams!

Anyhoo, I am so looking forward to meeting up with my girlfriends again and also seeing the kids. I don’t know when that will be, but I hope we won’t be waiting another year for it. 🙂

Oh I just remembered! He’s the same Adam on this infant layout, and here with the toys too!

And another thing. Not all kids can be as energetic as these two, let’s not forget them. Please reach out and do what you can for Baby Jon Angelo!

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