vacation/staycation: portland

michelle and i had a pre-planned vacation in portland prior to my accepting my new job. we arrived monday and our friends claire and jacob joined us from friday to sunday. here's a run down of where we went and what we did:

day 1: friday, historic columbia river highway, the grotto, and international rose test garden

we drove on the historic columbia river highway to see the beautiful columbia river gorge and the many waterfalls that line this stretch of road, most notably, the multnomah falls. the gorge is beautiful! napapa 'God is good' ako sa ganda ng view from the top of the mountain. we've been to multnomah several times before but it was our first time driving down the historic highway where there are several stops to see the gorge. the photo does not do the gorge justice. mas maganda sya sa personal!

after our drive, we went to the grotto and the international rose test garden. the grotto's gardens up the mountain was very pretty and well maintained. the grotto was really peaceful, too, except for a rowdy bunch of people who were chatting it up inside the meditation chapel. (oo kami yon! hehehe ang ingay namin sinita kami ng matandang babae na nagmemeditate ng binabasa nyang nursery rhymes...seryoso!)

after the grotto, we went to international rose test garden. buti nalang meron pang roses. two more weeks and there would be nothing but dead flowers. claire and jacob managed to see several gorgeous roses and a few more that smelled as wonderful as they looked.

day 2: saturday, oregon coast (seaside, cannon beach, tillamook)

it was a rainy saturday morning but we braved the rain and drove some 50 miles to seaside where the town was abuzz because of the hood to coast relay that was being held there. we had lunch at fultano's for amazing pizza and buffalo wings that were so good, they made jacob cry. =) because of the event, there were too many people and not enough to see or do so we drove to cannon beach to meet with our friends gracious and jay. we had a beautiful view of haystack rock and we all took a stroll along the beach. the sand was warm beneath our feet so we didn't mind the cold ocean water that softly swept the beach.

after cannon beach, off to tillamook we went for a tour of the tillamook cheese factory which is really just an excuse to eat some tillamook ice cream. sarap!!! oh, the cheese wasn't bad either (i really like their smoked black pepper cheese need to look for it when we go back home). the tour was pretty much non-existent...so really, it was all about the ice cream. small world, we bumped into paul's pregnant co-worker at the factory where she was having her ice cream fix.

next stop was a short shopping trip at nordstrom rack to take advantage of oregon's zero sales tax. then dinner at zab for some really good thai food.

day 3: sunday, woodburn premium outlet and japanese garden

zero sales tax is too good a deal to pass up for bay area folks who pay almost 10% for anything they buy. so we went to woodburn for amazing deals at north face. jackets at 40% and no sales tax! (i really should stop saying no sales tax!) sobrang mura kaya go, go, go!

after woodburn we went to the japanese garden. the garden is beautiful and i highly recommend going there during the different seasons so you can see how the plants change in color throughout the year. in the summer, the plants are a luscious green. when we first went in the winter, the mist and the fog added mystery to the already tranquil garden. i can't wait to see the burst of color in the spring and the fall.

we were supposed to go to the waterfront park before heading off to the airport to drop of the newly weds but the car's passenger window broke and wouldn't close so we can't drive off somewhere and leave the car vulnerable to thieves. we went home where the boys attempted to fix it without success. gracious and jay came to our rescue and dropped claire and jacob off to the airport. paul has scheduled an appointment first thing tomorrow morning to get the window fixed before we park it at the airport tomorrow.

that pretty much sums up our portland vacation. michelle and i will be back in the winter for some skiing and snowboarding. nyahaha!

will post pictures after i get them from claire. =D

i've been busy

after 6 months of doing mostly nothing, i can truly say that i have been busy this past week and will be busy for the next several weeks.

i started working again. yipee! the people i work with seem cool and they've all been really helpful. i hope to pick up a lot of the things i need to do asap so i can be totally productive. please don't ask me what my new role is because i have not fully understood what i am supposed to do. feeling ko, susubukan nila ang kakayahan ko. kung ano ang kaya kong gawin at pag kaya ko, yun na magiging responsibilidad ko. to that i say, 'bring it on!!!'

michelle and i will be in portland for 1 whole week beginning monday. yes, after my first week on the job, i'm already going on vacation! we've already made plans prior to my getting the job and employers here are pretty understanding about things like that. =) blessed di ba?

i have a lot of family and friends coming over for labor day weekend. my cousins from seattle are coming, my cousin and her son from guam have already moved to california, my ninang is coming and so will some of her relatives (they're all very close to our family), i have an old friend from canada coming over, too. it should be tons of fun, kailangan ko lang mag general cleaning para di naman nakakahiya ang bahay, di ba?

learned someone's secret today. secret! wag na itanong, di ko ibubunyag! haha

had a totally blessed week. the overwhelming kind of blessing. i'll write that in portland kasi mahabang kwento. God is god. sobra talaga. He is really taking me to the point where i put 100% of my faith in Him. the point where i will no longer ask why, or ask how. step by step, little by little, i know in my heart of hearts, that's where He's taking me. he's slowly revealing to me that i have nothing to fear about life and its challenges. we truly can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

jollibee forever!!!!

I LOVE JOLLIBEE. good food, and VERY creative advertising! maybe not original, but hey, it works!

hindi ko ito kayang palampasin

_____ for senator? (ayoko sabihin ang pangalan, sayang ang space sa cyberspace!)

ay naku! just thinking about it really makes my blood boil na. yung makita sya or marinig ang boses nya, di ko na masikmura...yun pang makita sya sa balita bilang halal na "kagalang galang" na senador ng bansa????? kakaiba na yun! SOBRA!

napakalaking katangahan naman ang sinabi ni manny villar. ano bang credentials at background nitong si ______ para maging qualified sya maging senador??? papayag si villar na gawing laro laro ang senado? ano, pagigilingin din ni ______ ang mga empleyado sa senado para makuha ang kanilang sweldo??? lalo lang lalaki ulo nitong taong to at bukas makalawa, magiilusyon na sya na pwede syang maging presidente ng pilipinas.

ang mga nanonood naman ng programa nya, iboboto sya kasi 'natulungan' daw sila nito. mga kababayan, hindi nya po pera ang napanalunan nyo sa tv show nya. pera po yun ng sponsors na inaakit ang pagtangkilik nyo sa mga produkto at serbisyon nila. yung pera nya, nabili nya na ng mga nakaw na kotse, mansion, at yate. kung ano man ang pinapakita nyang galing sa bulsa nya ay wala pa po sa 1% ng kinita nya sa araw na yon. at kahit sa bulsa nya galing yon, hindi parin ibig sabihin na pera nya yon.

naman naman! naman!!!!

wag iboto si manny villar. gusto kong presidente yung mahusay na judge ng character, marunong pumili ng matuwid. hindi mahusay na judge ng bank account! parang iniinsulto ni villar ang intellect ng mga pilipino. mayaman na sya, pinagmumukha nya ring pera ang sarili nya. obvious naman na kaya qualified si _____ sa paningin nya e dahil may pera ito na pwede nyang gastusin sa pangangampanya.

$#!$^$%^%^&%$*^%&*&^(&*(*&(^%^$^$%#$@$!$$^$%

GALIT TALAGA AKO!!!

king tut

i feel ripped off after paying $32.50 (plus an extra $7 for an audio tour) and not see king tut. i was expecting to see the mummified remains of king tut or his sacrophagus...but none of those where present.

on display were small items from the tomb, all of which could fit in 2 large balikbayan boxes. and because of that, i am terribly disappointed.

ok, so the items were 3,000 years old. many of them were quite beautiful. i particularly liked the senet because it was a glimpse of what ancient egyptian kids used to play. but still. masyadong mahal.

senet

not to be too harsh and not to discourage people from going...maybe my expectations where just too high. i'd still recommend you go visit, but get your tickets at costco, i think they have a better deal.

day 2

setback: a slice of egg custard pie i made for bible study last night.

wins: 30 mins on the elliptical and 30 mins on the stationary bike.

the scale told me i shouldn't worry about that slice of pie.

day 1

here goes nothing.

need to get crankin'

i have 3 1/2 weeks left to lose as much weight as i can.

i have 2 weeks left before michelle and i fly to portland. i had hoped to have lost 10 lbs by then so i can buy a few work clothes. i need to get moving!!! time's a tickin'!!!!!!

tsk tsk tsk

if she can do this in public, just think what she can do in the privacy of her home.

off the market

the job market that is!

i have a new job still with my former company. God is so goood!

i went to a job interview today for a different opportunity. as soon as i walked out of the interview, there was a message waiting for me in my voicemail. i returned the manager's call and after haggling on an annual salary, i formally accepted the job offer. i was ecstatic, jumping up and down and telling my family and my friends and my pastors the wonderful news!

but my scenario was very different just two weeks ago.

two weeks ago, i found myself desperately crying out to the Lord for some clarity, for some peace. as much as i enjoyed spending the last six months everyday with michelle, i knew in my heart that i was not ready to be a stay at home mom. we are not financially ready for it either. so along with my frustrations about my lack of career and our dwindling savings account and all the bills we have to pay, i spent several mornings weeping and wailing. michelle could see my tears and it broke my heart that it was my daughter comforting me when it should be the other way around. despite my moments of breakdown, i never lost my faith in the Lord. i'm sure there are times in other people's lives when they, too, felt desperate and very low. i am no different.

but God's promises are true and he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. it wasn't uncommon in the news to hear about people who were laid off from work who commit suicide, or go postal. those things never crossed my mind, but on some level, i understood their desperation (but in no way do i support their actions). i am blessed my faith has kept me hopeful and sane. i am extremely blessed to have the love and support of my husband who has never lost his confidence in me. he's always there to encourage me and listen to my frustrations. i am blessed to have a daughter who never fails to make me smile. i am blessed with parents who will do anything for their children. i pray i can do the same for my daughter. i am blessed with friends who do not hesitate to boost my self confidence, who spends time with me when they know that i'm feeling low, they are always there to cheer me up. i am blessed with a church family that prays for me and are there for me when i needed support. these people are my greatest treasure.

so if you chance upon this blog and you were laid off and are looking for a new job or facing some kind of problem right now, don't be discouraged. something good is waiting for you out there. pray, have faith. God is good to everyone. and like he said in His word, 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty." Haggai 2:9

in short, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!