Summer Wishlist

Since its summer already  I put a list of some things I've been wanting (the bank account is not willing but a girl can dream right?)

Montauk Highway Dress (Anthropologie)

Harper Double V Tank . This lovely chiffon tank is perfect with jeans, shorts and skirts.

Tassel Necklace

Ixora Blossoms Necklace

Cara Zip Clutch

Flat shoes

What are your wishlist this summer?

Summer Accessories For Kids From Shop Mikaela

I've added a new category in my shop - the  kids accessories (even moms can wear too!). Hope you can check it out.

Here's the Summer Collection. Wear it alone or s tack them or mix and match to Create a fun and chic look. Please take note that these products are not intended for children under 3 years old.

Painted Bead Bracelet With Charm

Summer Sorbet Bracelet

Floral Bracelet

Shop Now !

Four Months After Typhoon Yolanda

Last Tuesday, hubby and I decided to visit our hometown, Tacloban City. I was missing home and my family. Since, it was a last minute decision on a Monday night and there was no time to book a flight, we took a much longer travel 2.5 hours ride by sea and 2 hours ride by land. Our boat ride was at 5:30 am. I do not really like traveling by boat because of seasickness, but I endure the 2.5 hours of travel because of this

For the first time in many years I was able to see the sunrise. It was beautiful. Such an amazing creation of God.

Upon arriving Ormoc City, we rode a van to take us to Tacloban City a 2 hours drive. Ormoc City is one of the hardest hit by the Super Typhoon Haiyan / Yolanda, in Tacloban it was both the storm surge and strong winds that wreaked havoc , in Ormoc it was the strong wind. I saw roofless structures / houses even trees lay flat as if the leaves in one direction.

This is outside the city proper of Ormoc.

We arrived in Tacloban City around 11:00 am. In the afternoon I slept mostly I was still feeling dizzy. Electricity in our place was restored the following day.

My parent's house was partially damaged, half of the roof were flown( a tarpaulin temporarily shelter them from the rains.), a few shattered windows and kitchen door damage. Their small business which  is house rental was severely damaged. 

An old house actually of my parents which they turned to house for rent.

It would take them months to rebuild both house and a lot of money. But we are more grateful that they survived the typhoon and no one was hurt.

For the next couple of days, hubby and I went around the city. It's been more than four months since typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan but the damage and destruction is still visible. Collapsed houses, roofless structures/houses. Relief operations are still abundant. Help is really coming both foreign and the government. Through the good hearts of these people, the people of Tacloban are starting to pick up the pieces and are hopefully recovering.

Here are a few photos

 San Jose area

A beach resort in San Jose going to the airport.

Airport of Tacloban.

Palo, Leyte

Palo Gym. 

Palo, Leyte

Seminary

Mass grave

Tanuan, Leyte

Sto. Nino Church, Tacloban City

5 Healthy Recipes This Lenten Season

Lately, I took a back seat from preparing meals. Either my hands are tired from practicing calligraphy on my own or making jewelry for my shop . Thankfully, my  husband knows how to cook. Nothing elaborate or chef-like just simple home-cooked dishes .

Last year I've been keeping recipes that I found on the internet. Here's 5 of the recipes we hope to try out this month.  In observance of Lent, every  Friday my husband is giving up meat for 40 days(I have not been eating meat many years now) except fish which makes the recipes below so timely and perfect.
I hope you get to try these recipes too.

1.  Vegetarian burrito 

2.  Baked halibut with olives, potatoes & asparagus 

 3.  Mushroom burgers with Asian slaw

 4.  Shrimp Gumbo

5.  Creamed Broccoli

40 Days Of Passion

It's the time of the year that we (Catholics / Roman Catholics) observe Lent through prayer, fasting and abstinence.

Years back, during Lent season I would give up having sweet treats for 40 days straight as a sacrifice. A small act one would say but being a sweet-toothed person it was hard. I stay away from pastry shops and even coffee shops. I Learned self-control. But more than that I never really took the time to seek God and grow my relationship with Him. It is only now that I'm taking the time to develop a personal relationship with Him.  Fasting, abstinence and Lent traditions amounts to nothing if God is not our focus which is actually the essence of Lent.  

One of the ways to have a meaningful Lent is to read books related to Lent and Easter. One particular book I'm reading is 40 Days Of Passion by Bo Sanchez .  The book contains 40 inspiring stories of ordinary people. I'm reading one story a day for the next 40 days as recommended by the author. It's one way of spending time with God because at the end of the story there's a reflection and a prayer for each day, sort of a devotional book for 40 days.

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You can buy the book at National Bookstore or any Christian bookstores or  Here .

Happy Marriage: Have A Weekly Date

I'm no expert on marriage since we've only been married for more than a year. We still have a long way to go and have a lot to learn. But if you want a happy marriage you need to make an effort. And so I came up with starting a Happy Marriage Series.

Have a weekly date / Continue to date. Once a week set a specific time and day wherein you can spend quality time together. It can be a dinner date. A walk in the park. Watch a film at home. Have coffee together. It need not be grand and expensive. The important thing is that you enjoy each other's presence. 

My husband is sweet and thoughtful. He was the one who made it sort of a tradition to have a weekly dates. Because maybe when we were newly married (a month or two) I was too busy with work and each time I am home I was too tired to talk the highlights of my day and much more no patience to listen to him. You could imagine the fights we had because of my selfishness and irritability. Now, I always look forward to our time together. From taking me out for dinner or lunch to just inside the comfort of our home having coffee. Because of our "dates" I came to know him better and we became much closer.

Your relationship will benefit from the quality time spent together because those dates will enrich and nurture your marriage.