Ghosts of Labor Days past....

Can we meet for Labor Day?

it always amazes me how casual all your requests always are. like it's really just that simple. I guess I'm to blame for your nature. I always made it just that simple.

Echos of Labor Days gone by immediately came to mind. After all these years you STILL continue to haunt me.

Radiance!!! :)

How gorgeous does my girl look in her new perfume commercial? I love you Brit Brit with all my heart A+F! :)

My weekend was just as good as Key Lime pie

I can't believe it's already Sunday again. There's something so depressing about being on the eve of yet another work week (and this week is going to be a BUSY one) and another wonderful weekend ending. This weekend was definitely one of indulgence. I actually just got back from eating a HUGE lunch with my parents after church. Did I mention how much I love my parents?? Twinkie and I seriously have the best ones :) On Friday night my mom and I had a date. She made our dinner:

*Beef Salad (lettuce, mint leaves, cilantro, cucumbers, fresh chili, onion, lemon and of course beef. I love it when my mom makes this! It's delicious and my kind of salad :)

One of my favourite desserts is Key Lime Pie. I have been CRAVING some Key Lime pie. I'm addicted to those Dannon Light & Fit Key Lime yogurts. I found a recipe on a blog on Glamour.com for a lucious (and light!) Key Lime Pie and my mom and I decided to try it out.

*I LOVE limes! Lime is my favourite flavour of anything. When I took this pic I was thinking of how much I missed my lime in Coronas :( Man it's been SO long since I have had a Corona ha

*Truth be told I am not a cook or a baker. I can't do either. But this pie really is that simple! It literally takes 10 minutes to whip it up! It's so easy even I can do it (without my mom's help next time hahaha)

*My mama's hands adding the lime zest :)

*Voila! Our tasty, healthier version of Key Lime Pie!

My mom and I started watching Gossip Girl together after season 1 had come out. We rented all the DVDs and were hooked! This past season, season 3, we started to watch in "real" time on TV, but after missing a couple of episodes we decided to just wait until the DVDs come out and play catch up. So we decided to have a Gossip Girl marathon. I was SOOO excited to finally catch up on Serena! (Mom loves Blair and Chuck)

*We had Dad take this pic of us :)

Funny thing is we were WAY farther into season 3 then I had remembered. I thought we had only watched maybe 3 or 4 episodes tops. So we only rented disc 1 and 2. When we popped them in to see where it was we had left off it turned out we had seen every episode except the LAST one on disc 2!!! So much for our marathon :( We should have rented discs 3,4,5 but we didn't remember having watched so much on TV. I think we might do that later today :)

*Gossip Girl & Key Lime pie is a delicious combo!

I cherish my relationship with my mom. We have such a great time together and I just love spending time at home with my parents. Another family I love to spend time with is my bff Steph's family. Saturday I went to celebrate this cute little guy on his 3rd birthday:

*Her precious nephew Gavin and his mom Lacy (Steph's sis)

Gavin is the sweetest little boy!! All day he kept saying thank you to everyone and he kept telling his mom "Thank you for my birthday party, Mommy." It was just darling!! We had such a good time! We swam and I indulged BIG time!! I drank wine in the afternoon, ate a hamburger AND a hot dog, potato salad AND macoroni salad, cheetos AND dorritos, and that firetruck birthday cake tasted just as good as it looks!!! :) But it was all so good and so worth it. My bff's family is so kind and mean so much to me. They make me feel part of their family. I love her sister Leah SO much!

Later that day after Philip got off work we headed over to our favourite hangout, our home away from home: Buffalo Wild Wings. We took in the Cowboys game (oh how the boys dissapoint!! They better shape up ASAP! :*( and then watched UFC (I love it!)

It was a most perfect weekend!!! :) I just realised that this week won't be toooo bad because the upcoming weekend is a four day weekend with Labor Day!!! That's def something to look forward to. Hope everyone else had as good a weekend as Key Lime pie like I did :)

Represent! :)

My mom has ALWAYS been a fan of those beauty pagents. Micaela and I grew up watching them, the Oscars (or any other award show for that matter) and the Olympics religiously thanks to our mama. My mom got her days mixed up and completely missed last night's pagent. She was so gutted! She thought it was on Tuesday night. She was REALLY looking forward to it and even told me yesterday that we couldn't watch our new Tuesday movie release (J LO's latest) because she had to watch the pagent. Poor mom! Thank goodness for the internet so she can watch the whole thing online :) So I'm always pulling for Miss USA of course, but I also have to stay true to my "roots" which were represented amazingly last night. Way to go Miss Mexico for being crowned and Miss Philippines who ended up 4th runner up. Way to represent us Mexipinas, ladies!! :) When my boss returned from his Cancun vacation last week one of the things he said was that "Mexico definitly has some of the most beautiful women in the world!" Seems like the universe agrees with you boss man :)

Miss Congeniality

I was called that today at the gym. My twinkie's bff Maria practically had to drag me out of there after our spin class because I would have kept on talking. I have really enjoyed the aquaintances I have made at the gym of all places. We don't hang out outside of that building, but everytime we meet we ask each other how things are going in work and in life. I look forward to seeing them after a long day at work.
After Micaela moved away I lost my perfect work out partner who I could always count on to keep me accountable. Maria doesn't get to go that often because she works two jobs. So these people who I would not normaly hang out with otherwise because they are much older than me with grown children (some whose children are my age) have become that person for me. And I love that on Tuesdays in my normal spin class I can count on my sweet instructor to play not just one, but TWO sometimes THREE Britney songs just for me! And the older man who hates it, will joke with me everytime Britney comes on :)
I really wanted to play along with the 30 Day challenge that Jess and Steph are doing, but I just don't think I can do it. I want to, but I think I'm going to bend the rules and pick and choose which questions I can answer :) Me - the "rebel" in disguise :) But one challenege I am SO proud I can say I've stuck to is my challenge to exercise regularly. I've been so completely dedicated in this personal challenge to myself. I'm so protective of my "me" time at the gym. Nothing gets in the way of that time. I've also stayed true to the challenge of giving up beer. This Texas girl once loved her Bud Light - maybe a little tooooo much haha, but I haven't had a sip of it since St. Patrick's Day. Sticking to it makes me feel good. Just as good as a Britney song! So after a hard work out when someone says "See you tomorrow!" I look forward to it :)
p.s. I'm watching bits and pieces of one of my favourite movies of all time "Braveheart." I'm about to have to turn off my darling Mel (who I will stay FOREVER loyal to despite his crazy personal life - hey we all crack. We all have our problems and our not so sane moments, but we don't have to live them out in the tabloids so cut my honey some slack haha) fantasy and get tuned in to my Neal Caffrey fantasy! Philip and I record it so we can watch the entire episode sans commercials (I know, I know this coming from a media buyer in advertising! haha but when that's all you think about during the day - you HAVE to get away from work related things! haha)
I have had an AMAZING day by the way - just had to put that out there :)

The other Mrs. Tom Cruise

(because duh I'm the first Mrs. Tom Cruise! ha)

I have to admit she is kinda growing on me. I was never a really big fan of hers, but I cannot wait to see her in The Romantics which I had not even heard about until I read it today on my twinkie's bestie's blog here. I just adore twinkie's M!!!! Marisa has the BEST taste in movies (and music and besties haha) This def looks like my kind of movie. Thanks for sharing M!

Guilty Pleasure

I'm SUPER excited about the premiere of Keeping Up with the Kardashians season 5 tonight!!!!!! We all know how much I love Kim and this show is such a guilty pleasure of mine! :)

*sigh*

via

"for whatever we lose (like a you or a me) it's always ourselves we find in the sea"

-e.e. cummings

*Thank you Katy for posting this on your fb, it spoke directly to my heart! It served as a sign for me today.

Fill in the Blanks Friday: TV Edition

It's been awhile since I've participated in Lauren's Fill in the Blanks and this week is extra special because sweet Leesh came up with the questions. Ifyou have not met Leesh yet you simply must! She has become one of my closest friends in this wonderful blog world. I have come to adore her and I know you will too.

1. My favorite current TV show is "White Collar." I have the BIGGEST crush on Neal Caffrey (aka Matt Bomer). He's sexy, charming and witty. I love this show!!! and I love "Gossip Girl" but I'm an entire season behind! Luckily it's out on DVD next week so I get to have fun playing catch up :)Besides "White Collar" I hardly watch anything in real time, it's always on DVD so I can have marathons.

2. The TV character I can relate to most is I had no idea so I did one of those silly quizzes to see which TV Leading Lady I am most like and this is the answer:

You Scored as Kate Ryan (Lost) You're Kate from Lost! The beautiful "matriarch" figure of the island, you have a dark secret which nobody can find out about. You're a good person, though, and are ready to have some fun and start over. While sometimes you think mainly about yourself, you don't mind putting everybody else in front of you. Kate Ryan (Lost) 100% Monica Geller (Friends) 83% Rachel Green (Friends) 75% Marissa Cooper (The O.C.) 67% Summer Roberts (The O.C.) 58% Bree Van De Kamp (Desperate Housewives) 50% Susan Mayer (Desperate Housewives) 50% Grace Adler (Will & Grace) 8% Shannon Rutherford (Lost) 0%

For the record I have never watched "Lost" (even though Micaela has begged me too!! haha) so I don't know if that is truly me, the description certainly doesn't sound like it in places (I would never think I put myself first!!!) But still interesting right? lol

3. My life is like (fill in with TV show and why).... Another question I really can't answer, yet there is no good quiz for it! All the quizzes I found you have to put in your contact info. I will seriously have to get back to you on this one Leesh :)

4. My all time favorite TV show is Sex and the City of course! I can watch that show over and over and never get tired of it.

5. A TV show that is ridiculously stupid, but I continue to watch is I really wouldn't call it stupid, but I know many think any type of reality show is, so I'm going to say I love "Keeping up with the Kardashians" because I just love Kim!

6. My favorite TV couple is Izzy and Denny on "Grey's Anatomy." I was just smitten with Denny's character and I loved watching them fall in love despite everything against them (he needs a new heart, she's his doctor and he's her patient, oh the drama)!!!

7. One TV episode I could watch over and over again is the second to last episode of Sex and the City "An American Girl in Paris, Part Une" when Carrie tells Big off and then he goes to her girlfriends for advice and they tell him to go get their girl! Aww it's so perfect!

So I have yet to watch an episode of Glee but...

This will be one episode I WILL be watching!!!! :)

I LOVE me some Brit Brit as I've professed my adoration here. I mean I really, really, really LOVE her! :) Obsessed is prob a more accurate word! Thought I'd share a couple of pics with you:
*In Hollywood circa 2005. My brother-in-law at the time was a little peeved at me because we got a parking ticket that day all because I had to search and search for her star :)

*Same time just without my jacket so you could see I am wearing my Curious shirt I got when I bought her perfume :) I look so young there!

*At the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas circa 2005. Look she's on my purse too :) haha

*At the Hard Rock Cafe in Nassau in the Bahamas while on my honeymoon in 2007. Brit Brit's outfit :)

*Pic I took at work on the day I went to see Britney in concert for the first time :)

*my bff Steph snapped this pic of me in the car on the way to Dallas for the concert :) I was SOOO freaking excited!!!

*Displaying my $30 program and my tee shirt! And you can see I take the Union Jack with me whenever I can haha :) My VS bag!

*I am just one happy girl before the concert starts!! With my bff Steph and twinkie Micaela (Philip was there as well and is taking the photo) Dream come true to see my dream girl surrounded by the people I love the most! :)

A couple pics from the AMAZING concert:

And there you have it :) You prob think I'm the biggest dork if you haven't thought that already, but Brit is most def my number 1 girl crush!! Always and foreva :)

Dashing

I cannot wait to get my hands on the new Allure magazine that features Kim on the cover. Last Friday at our girl's night (a much needed night for me! SO much fun!!!) at my bff Steph's sister Leah's house the conversation turned to owning your ethnicity. There was another girl there who was mixed just like I am. I'm not going to lie, I have wished I was blonde and green eyed like my beautiful BFF. Prob even more so once I moved to Texas and started junior high. It wasn't until I was older that I learned to embrace my Filipino and Mexican roots that gave me my dark hair, brown skin and somewhat smaller eyes (esp without make up!). As I grow older I am so proud of who I am. Kim's exotic beauty and the fact that she shows women that you do not have to be "stick-skinny to be looked at as a sex symbol" (as quoted from her Allure interview) is really refreshing! I love her sexy curves. In fact, her hot body serves as my motivation many times when I'm at the gym and am struggling with that last set of abs or I just don't feel like running. Just take a look at these amazing photos:

Her sexiness just takes my breath away!!!

Sunday Secret

Twinkie and I are blessed to have the most amazing older seester Maria Luisa (there is six years between us). She took care of us growing up - baby sitting us, taking us trick-or-treating, hosting our birthday parties - from such a young age she loved to be the hostest and event planner. She taught us everything we needed to know about what it means to become a woman - from periods, to boys, to sex - there was nothing we couldn't ask her. Even now she still takes care of us. I have loved watching her become an amazing mother to my two beautiful nieces. I've loved watching her really fall in love for the first time with her husband Frank. I'm so thankful for the happiness in her life since he's been in it.

Luisa is such a born leader, strong, clever, beautiful, always fiercely independent. I have always admired that about her. Such the opposite of myself.
As my older sister, I've always seen Luisa as not just my sister, but as a mother, and definitely a best friend. She is all those important roles to me.

*Luisa at the bachelorette part Maddie threw for her :) July 2010

*Wedding Photo July 4,2010. L to R: Philip, Me, Chip, Micaela, Madeline, Miguel, Luisa, Frank and in front my darling nephew Mikey

Luisa has given me so much. So many precious memories from childhood to now. I wanted to share with you some of my favourite photos of some of those memories.

*Mr. & Mrs. Frank Maloney in an Irish pub in Tampa August 2010

*Us in Tampa Aug 2010 I look like her kid sister here don't I? Then again I am :)

*In front of Buckingham Palace - backpacking through London July 2006

*Piccadilly Circus. I'm soooo insanely happy here!! My favourite place in the entire world!

*On the London Eye - seeing Big Ben was a dream come true!

*Venice, Italy. This was the weekend after London and I remember despite being surrounded by all that history and beauty, I was missing London!
*Florence

I am so blessed and thankful for you Luisa. Thank you for everything and for always being there for me no matter if there is an ocean and thousands of miles that sepearte us. Our hearts are forever bounded!

I could stare at Seahorses allllll day

Yes, this is indeed another post dedicated to my obsession of seahorses :) I just can't help it, I love them SO much! While I was in Tampa we went to the Florida Aquarium, which had one of the best seahorse exhibits I've ever seen! They had a whole section dedicated to them, instead of just one or two little tanks. I was in heaven :) My sister and her husband had to sit and wait on me, because I could literally stare at them all day!

A little collage I did on photovisi so you could see all the different types of seahorses - even the prego male (not to be confused with the pot bellied seahorse) third row, middle pic - take a look at that baby bump!
This was also the first time I got to see the most precious dwarf seahorse! These little guys only grow up to 2 inches and are SOOOO adorable!!! They are so itty bitty I couldn't get over it!

*If you look closely you can see the teeny seahorse! :) They are so little it was hard to get a good photo

When I arrived home from my holiday, I felt incredibly special because I had packages waiting for me! One of the sweet gifts that were given to me was from the lovely Carrie Marie. I met Carrie through twinkie - they were matched up in postcrossing and continued to keep in touch. I'm blessed to know this wonderful woman. Carrie just recently went to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium and kindly thought of me while she was there.

*Postcard - how I love them - and a seahorse necklace! AND it lights up!! :) SO cute :) I just adore you Carrie! Thank you for your thoughtfulness! It's so funny because Carrie asked twinkie for my address to surprise me. Too funny that I did the same thing so I could send her a postcard from Tampa! That twinkie - she is good at keeping surprises :)

*A darling friend of mine sent me this link for an adorable seahorse baby toy. How precious is that? *sigh* I might just have to purchase one for my future little one, it's too adorable!
*My latest purchase - Sweet Claire saw this on etsy here and thought of me :) I LOVE them! I had to get them right away because I couldn't stop envisioning them standing out in my dark hair! I love that you thought of me love! I can't wait to get them :)