Sleep deprived.

...continued from part 02.

Since I got my salary from my freelance project with my uncle, I used the money to buy some good stuff. To people who know me so well they're aware that thrift shopping is my thing so when somebody tipped me over at this thrift shop somewhere within the vicinity, I asked Mama if I could use the car and if she wanted to go with me to find some cheap goodies.

Candies in the car!

The moment we parked in front of the thrift shop I knew I was in for a thrill ride! There were pretty dresses everywhere most of which were sold for 120-180!

There were only a handful of people when we arrived, although as Mama and I have noticed, the number grew just after minutes when we were scouring the racks of clothes.

They have 2 floors of thrift goodness!

The thrift shop was really a heaven! The ground floor was for the new arrivals (most of which are SO PRETTY!) and the 2nd floor features everything that's 50% off! I was literally pulling anything that I see from the racks. 

Everything I got amounted to almost PHP 4,000+, which were like 28 beautiful pieces of clothes. Boy, shopping sure takes a toll on my wallet but hey, I got good stuffs!

Mama looking at some polo from the rack.

PHP 25.00 sign.

Shopping was a good mother-daughter bonding too! Mama and I are definitely gonna be back at that place. I even scored a faux leather jacket for only PHP 280! Can you believe that? And anybody who saw that jacket told me it was gorgeous and didn't even think it was thrifted!

SM Molino in a very festive mood.

When we got home, Mama told me she'd be going to SM and pay at BDO. So when she was at the bank, I went to National Bookstore to look at some books. Most of them, were for my revitalized hobby...

I think I spent a good 30 minutes in that section alone, scouring through everything that breezes through my hands. I wanted to buy so much photography books but then again, I won't be able to use it that much unless I actually own a DSLR. I'm still sticking to my good ole Agfa Digicam anyway. Plus, I'd rather spend on books later when I'm upgraded. For now, I can just read tutorials on the internet for free :D

However, I came to National Bookstore for a very good reason. I was going to buy a very nice gift for Tyler.

A handy phrase book and an English-Tagalog dictionary for my love.

UPDATE [12/29/11]: He loved the books I gave him! I told him it'd be very useful on his travel. And also, it would be a good read on his plane back home or when he misses me. As a gift to me, he gave me a necklace that he made himself. It was a coin necklace with genuine Yens and a 5-centavo coin. I love handmade stuff! He was so frantic cause he didn't know if I would like his gift that he even cut his finger while making it.

Tyler is very sweet and I am so lucky to spend this year's Christmas with him. :')

x Iris

Every day of every week felt like the same - it was monotonous and bland. So when I had the opportunity to paint my day brighter than anything else, I did.

I started the day with simbang gabi (early Christmas mass). Here in the Philippines it is a tradition that every Yuletide people attend mass at 4am. I didn't get much sleep that day so I just waited till the clock hit four.

A big crowd gathered outside the church. We came a bit late but just in time to hear the sermon. I kind of missed waking up early just for this.

Interior of the Sto. Nino de Molino Parish Church (front)

Back view of the church where the entrance is

Mama and Irylle after the mass. :)

Looking outside the van window

After the mass Irylle and I were chanting at the back seat proposing to Papa that we should go have breakfast at the newly-renovated McDonald's near RFC Molino since we're already outside - a wish which our father had eventually obliged.

On the way to McDonald's

My cup of hot chocolate

My little sister Irylle eating her pancake

Longganisa, rice and egg meal

Papa about to drink his coffee

Me, shot taken by Irylle

Breakfast @ McDonald's has always been sumptuous. We had pancakes, coffee and longganisa and rice; coffee and hot chocolate to wash down our meals. 

The new place was nice but as an interior design student I find the interior too common - the use of dark laminated MDF wood, graphic prints and vibrant colors of lime, turquoise and violet were all too cliche in my eyes; I guess it's because in my observation I have seen a lot of establishments with such design approach and that it's also because for me McDonald's trying its best to be a really modern and upscale fastfood.

I thought this branch would consider having a 2nd floor (since the other McDonald's Branch at the end of Molino Blvd has one) but they didn't; they just retained the place only improving the aesthetics and space planning of the area.

Lovely sunrise.

...part 02 to be continued.

My wanderlust is growing, and I can always feel the thumping of my heart to it. Yesterday was rollercoaster. It didn't start as good as it's supposed to be but it turned out to be a really great day.

Tyler takes my heart away everytime we do something fun. I am happy. The wind was getting colder and I was feelin' the Christmas spirit already. 

I knew deep inside we had to go somewhere, somewhere special to spend the day. And so we headed to Alabang Town Center for a Friday night out.

I was starving when we left home so we went to NYFD first to get french fries. He offered to carry my coat and we walked holding hands.

NYFD is awesome - you're missing your life if you haven't tried it! We got the biggest cup and had 3 dips to choose from. Tyler got the Pepper Steak dip (which later on became his favorite) and 2 little dishes of my ever-favorite Honey Mustard for me.

We got Zagu for drinks - he had his mango puree smoothie and I had my usual Hazelnut Cappuccino. I couldn't ask for a simpler date, really. Just enjoying the things that I love with him is more than what I could even hope for. Sometimes I still get this moment of being starstruck that after half a year of long distance we're actually next to each other.

ATC garden with all its pretty lights

I wore my black & white lace dress underneath my black coat that night which I bought from an online store this week and the white ankle boots to match the outfit. Tyler said I was pretty, and I smiled. I was thankful to have a guy who'd rather love seeing me without makeup on.

My love (left); Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (right)

The night was just calm and breezy. There was piano music in the air and Christmas lights that looked like fireflies swarming the trees. We found a seating spot next to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf where we settled and started eating. My long sleeves kept me from being cold; he looked at me again and smiled. I felt a little pause in my chest and I knew there's nothing else in the world that mattered. I told him I would miss him by the time he has to leave again. And I didn't wanna get sad right away so I just focused on munching on my food.

I asked him then, "if you had one wish for Christmas what would it be?" To which he replied, "would this be an immediate or a lifelong wish?" He was smart to answer that way and I told him how much of the people I knew would be safe to say, "to have more wishes". I was amazed at his wit so I told him he could wish anything his heart desires. "Marry me," he quickly replied. For some reason he still likes to ask me that question and I would still get that butterfly excitement I've always had since he proposed. My eyes kinda welled up with tears but I managed to pucker my lips to lick some honey mustard and say, "yes." I glanced upon my engagement ring; a happy thought about a future we are going to have together fluttered by. I've loved him since the beginning of everything. He was the epitome of my love at its fullest, our love stood time and distance. It's surreal how this time last year we were just apart and this year we're spending Christmas together.

Tyler doing Christmas shopping with me

We walked until our feet grew tired and I could feel my heels were taking toll on me. My camera's rechargeable batteries ran out of energy so I had to buy fresh ones after we ate just so I wouldn't miss taking pictures that day. We were just frolicking around when I found this...

LazerXtreme, a Lazertag arena just right above Tempura grill! We didn't get to play Lazertag though, but at least I've managed to stare at its awesomeness for quite a while! Maybe next time, we will. It was a fun and fulfilling date that we had. I've learned a lot of things in a day and realized that days go by faster than usual. I may have to keep track of our adventures so we have something to look back to when we miss being together. Happy days with Tyler are always the best days of my life. It's like the flowers in full bloom during summer when we would celebrate our birthdays together in April.  Somehow I kinda wish he would still linger until then. x Iris

After all the stressful & sleepless nights doing freelance work, my week has finally come to a peace. So before I go on a client project again, I decided to treat myself with my work salary to a wardrobe addition - and I never thought online shopping could be this fun!