All I Want For Christmas

Navy blue sweater - I'm a big fan of pullovers and I simply love the color of this one.

Silpat - I won't have any problem with my French macarons, cookies and choco crinkles sticking at the bottom or burning with this brilliant invention.

Spring form pan - this is perfect for making cheesecakes look flawless and attractive.

Kindle - I've been wanting a Kindle for the longest time, and I think I could convince my dad to get me one as a Christmas present. Or I could also settle with a hand me down from my brother. Either way, it will surely satisfy my book addiction.

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer - I know what the power of a good concealer can do to one's appearance but admittedly, I haven't owned one in my entire life. I always rely on my powder foundation to fake a good night's sleep. However, lately I find it too much for daily use and I'm the kind who doesn't like to put a lot of makeup on her face. So I think it's time to purchase one and this particular product has received good raves from bloggers and Youtubers, including Zoella.

Basics Naked Palette - This is perfect for natural and neutral looks that I usually go for.

Ballet flats - my typical get up consists of a shirt, jeans and flats. My current ones are tearing up fast cause I always use it almost everyday and I might need new ones come next year.

Sportswear - any brand will do! I really need this in my life.

Silver necklace with cross pendant - I would love to have a necklace with a dainty and pretty cross pendant.

Marionnaud blush brush - I heard so many good reviews about this brush. I don't own any make up brushes yet and I'd like this to be my first.

Nike shoes - the perfect shade of blue and the small details are gorgeous. This will absolutely motivate me to exercise regularly.

Yoga mat - Aside from running, I really enjoy yoga and circuit training as well. I do at home exercises only and I rely on youtube videos for teaching me the right moves. I would love to have a yoga mat in my favorite color(if you haven't noticed yet).

Keurig Brewing System - this fancy and effective coffee, tea and hot choco brewing system, will give you the perfect cup of goodness in under one minute at a touch of a button. My sister has one and whenever I visit her home, I would go straight to the kitchen to brew me some cup of heavenly goodness. I love this!

Japanese Sakura tea set - It must be my addiction to tea lately that got me into thinking about tea sets. This one comes with a nifty tea infuser. Could this be any more perfect?

Ceramic cake plate - When I saw the exact same plate at our local baking shop, I instantly fell in love with it. The lovely green ribbon surrounding the plate can be replaced with a different color that will suit your taste.

And of course more....
Books!

The Sunday Currently, vol. 9

December, my most favorite month, has finally arrived! Aside from Christmas, which is one of the main reasons why I love this month so much, it's also my mom's birth month and I'm so excited to celebrate it with the whole family. This will only be the first of the many celebrations and I'm already hyped up! There are numerous reasons why I love this time of the year and I'm gonna make an entry about that soon. Wishing you guys joyful and exciting days ahead! :)

C  U  R  R  E  N  T  L  Y  .  .  .  

R E A D I N G The Princess Bride by William Goldman. This is my new read after finishing another novel by Murakami. I saw its high ratings and great reviews on goodreads so I'm really excited about this one.

W R I T I N G a list of ingredients for the cakes and pastries that we're selling. My mom and I are selling pastries and cakes for years now and we've so many orders especially this time of the year. December has always been a busy month for us but I'm not complaining. We'll be spending our profits mostly for our Christmas feast and gifts.

L I S T E N I N G to the grinding sounds of my 5 year old laptop's cooling fans. I already brought it to the repair shop but they said that I should have it replaced instead since the repairs will cost as much as a brand new one. 

T H I N K I N G about how adorable Chowder is! Right now, he's looking at me with his innocent and cutesy look!

S M E L L I N G the faint smell of my mom's perfume.

W I S H I N G for more happy and positive days ahead. Lately, I've been feeling more and more optimistic and excited about the future. I'm taking everything one step at a time and most importantly, enjoying the present.

H O P I N G  I would receive plenty of books as gifts this year! :D

W E A R I N G my favorite teal shirt and white shorts.

L O V I  N G our beautiful Christmas tree. This year we decorated our tree blue, from the Christmas balls and ribbons to the LED lights.

W A N T I N G some blueberry pancakes.  

N E E D I N G a larger bookshelf for my growing number of books. I'm planning to revamp my brother's old bookshelf to my own liking and I'll just need to get hold of some white paint and a nice wallpaper. :)

F E E L I N G super excited about my mom's birthday celebration tomorrow. Her birthday falls on a Monday(December 2nd) so we decided to move the celebration on a weekend, which is tomorrow. That way, we'll all be able to gather together as a whole.

C L I C K I N G some random websites and my twitter new feed.

God bless! :) Join us in The Sunday Currently Link-up

WWW Wednesday!

WWW Wednesday is a weekly feature from Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll be reading next?

So here are my answers:

What are you you currently reading?

I'm back to the twisted world of Murakami novels, I just started this one and hopefully, it's as good as Norwegian Wood.

What did you recently finish reading?

This is arguably the best dystopian novel I've ever read. Tris is the kind of protagonist that you really want to root for - strong and courageous teen ready to change the world. Admittedly, I cried toward the end and that hasn't happened to me in a long time while reading a novel. Highly recommended!

Shortly after finishing the Divergent trilogy, I reached for this book and I was able to finish it for a few hours. It's a fun, modern and intelligent read. It is presented entirely in a back and forth of emails between the two main characters who never physically met. After a series of email exchanges, they got to know each other better and eventually they fall in love. It has a sequel entitled "The Seventh Wave" as this has a frustrating cliffhanger.

What do you think you'll be reading next? 

I'm debating between this.....

and After Dark.

Happy reading everyone!

Fitness 101

Aside from reading books, I also love to work out daily. My favorite forms of exercise are running, swimming, badminton, zumba and circuit training. Whenever I have a busy week, I try to incorporate simple exercises in my routine like taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking wherever and whenever possible. What really got me into exercise, is my abhorrence to excess fats because I used to be teased a lot by my siblings and peers. 

And with the holidays just around the corner, family reunions, cooking/baking special foods, and dining out will be occurring frequently. Diet and exercise will take a backseat, at least momentarily(I hope!), because let's face it, tremendous effort is needed to control yourself especially when lechon or your favorite food/s is sitting right in front of you and you'll most likely break what little restraint you have.

Fortunately, there are plenty of websites out there that taught me how to lose, maintain, and reach my goal weight. And after years of trying out different diets and exercise routines, I finally found what works best for me. So today, I would like to share some of them and I hope you'll learn a thing or two:

1. Watch some Youtube videos and read blogs. Here are my top favorites:

Blogilates by Cassey Ho

Annie Jaffrey

Zumba

Lauren Conrad

2. Motivational Money Jar

Each time you hit the gym or exercise put one dollar into your jar (if you can, slip $5 in there when you've had a particularly great week). Then, every few months cash in on your efforts. Treat yourself to a new top or even a relaxing spa pedicure. 

3. Create your own workout mix.

1. He is We - Pardon Me (Go Periscope Remix)
2. Lady Gaga - Electric Chapel (Two Door Cinema Club Remix)
3. Flo Rida - Good Feeling
4. Yelle - Que Veux Tu (Madeon Remix)
5. Friendly Fires - Hurting
6. Carousel - The Thrill
7. Drake feat. Rihanna - Take Care
8. SBTKRT feat. Roses Gabor - Pharaohs
9. Stronger - Kanye West
10. Burn - Ellie Goulding

4. Always exercise on Mondays. This sets the psychological pattern for the week.

5. I've learned that a sexy physique is the result of 80% diet and 20% exercise. So a healthy diet is a MUST in order to achieve your weight goal. Personally, I live by the 80/20 rule diet! It works like this: you eat healthy foods eighty percent of the time and the other 20 percent you treat yourself. Click here for a more in-depth explanation of the rule.

6. Focus on all of the amazing benefits of exercise.

 

Need more motivation? Read this.

7. It doesn't matter what time of the day you exercise just as long as you actually do. If you prefer working out in the afternoon or evening, then by all means go. It's absolutely your choice.

8. Enjoy! Working out need not be a chore, you must be able to enjoy it so find out whatever suits your fancy and stick with it.

Good Luck!

Top Ten Things I Am Thankful For

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. 

1. Books and ebooks - Life would be a bore without them. Nowadays, reading wonderful books takes up most of my time. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I grab is a book and before I go to bed, the last thing in my hands is a book. 

2. I'm thankful for Verinica Roth for coming up with a marvelous story that is the Divergent series. After I finished it last Sunday, I felt like a piece of me went missing for a while, as it turns out, I loved the series so much that I didn't want it to end. And don't get me started on how I cried like a baby toward the end!

3. My mom - I aspire to be half the person that she is and I'm incredibly grateful for her unconditional love.

4. Our pet Chowder - He never fails to put a smile on my face even though he has done something naughty. He would always make subtle noises and put on an adorable face whenever he wants me to take him outside for a walk.

5. God - He is my rock and my savior. 

6. Bookstores - It's like a candy store to me.

7. Youtube fitness/exercise videos - they helped me kick-start my fitness regime and I learned plenty of tips for losing and maintaining weight, something which I've been struggling for in a long time. And the people behind those videos are so awesome!

8. Hot beverages - Specifically tea and coffee; it instantly puts me in a good mood and the scent is  just so relaxing.

9. Publishers and Authors - Thank you for helping me feed my reading addiction!

10. I'm thankful for the challenges in my life, they taught me how to become stronger and wiser.

The Sunday Currently, vol. 8

C  U  R  R  E  N  T  L  Y  .  .  .  

R E A D I N G Allegiant by Veronica Roth. I'm almost finished with the series and things are really heating up as the finale draws near. I slept at 4 AM earlier as I cannot put it down and then the first thing I did when I woke up a few hours ago, was to reach for it again.

W R I T I N G a list of lovely books that I'm going to purchase next.

L I S T E N I N G to the the conversation of my mom, dad and grandmother in the living room(unintentional). My grandma came to visit this weekend and we went on a roadtrip yesterday. I love it when she's here and she's one of my most favorite people in the world.

T H I N K I N G about the ingredients I need for brownies that I'm gonna bake later.

S M E L L I N G the fresh and soothing aroma of Lipton tea. As part of my healthy lifestyle, I've switched from coffee to tea because it has fewer calories and its healthier. This small switch has saved me from all the calories of creamer and sugar that I usually add to my coffee. Sometimes, I'll drink black coffee if I crave for it.

W I S H I N G for more happy and positive days! :)

H O P I N G that I could win the online contest that I joined in.

W E A R I N G a navy blue shirt, which used to be really tight but now it fits perfectly, and black skort.

L O V I  N G the results of my current diet and workout routine: improved self-confidence, positive outlook, healthier complexion, eating cleanly and so much more. And to think that I've been doing this for only a week and a half, I'm really motivated to stick with this healthy lifestyle. 

W A N T I N G a yoga mat so I can properly execute my workout routine and yoga poses. I just search some exercise videos on Youtube and I particularly love Cassey Ho's blogilates because she's so amusing and inspiring. Her moves are easy to follow and she's gonna motivate you to finish each set. If you're looking for great exercise videos, you should definitely check her channel out.

N E E D I N G to get a new haircut because I'm tired of my current look. I'll probably get some layers and brown highlights for my next salon visit.

F E E L I N G positive and hopeful about life in general. Sometimes, it's so easy to fall into a tangled mess especially when things aren't going exactly the way you always thought it would be. But you know what, it only takes courage, optimism and faith to overcome those setbacks in life. Oh, and a great workout too. Trust me.

C L I C K I N G  photos from this website and Encarta dictionary.

God bless! :) Join us in The Sunday Currently Link-up

Five On Friday

[one] After so many years, my braces and I have finally parted ways last Monday(Nov. 18) and I feel so relieved. I had them on for 5 years and the result is amazing. All those times that I had to bear eating nothing but soft foods, the recurring pain and trips to the dentist are so worth it. No more buck toothed me, which is the ire of my teenage self. My mouth feels naked though but I'll definitely get used to it.

[two] I read Divergent last month and I started the second book only yesterday. I purposely stalled a bit because there were other books that caught my attention. But now that I dived back into it, I'm not gonna touch other books until I finish the whole series. The story is so riveting and addicting. Four is totally hot; definitely my favorite character in the series.

[three] Last Wednesday, I decided to kick-start my fitness regime again(for the nth time) and I'm happy to say that I've lost 5 lbs. already! A combination of zumba and circuit training and, of course, diet did the trick. I included zumba in my exercise routine after my mom raved about it and it's a great and fun way to exercise. I also eliminated white rice, processed foods, sweets and fried foods in my diet. Hopefully, I'll be able to stick with it for a month. I'd like to share this funny and interesting article about the connection between real  life situations and work out: click here.

[four] After using Etude House green tea facial wash for 2 weeks, I had the most terrible breakout, which is unlikely because I'm way past that acne stage. It just didn't work out for me and here I thought it was all because of stress. So I switched back to my tried and tested Nivea facial wash and thankfully, my pimples are almost gone now. Holy Grail status!

[five] I've been feeling a lot better and happier nowadays and I thank God and my family for helping me get back up. I was so confused and anxious as to where my life is headed that I failed to recognize the good parts. I may not have everything figured out just yet but, at least I finally found the path that I'm going to take. Needless to say, life is back on track.

WWW Wednesday!

WWW Wednesday is a weekly feature from Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll be reading next?

So here are my answers:

What are you you currently reading?

Finally got back to reading this, yay!

What did you recently finish reading?

The beginning of the story started off quite slow but eventually picked up its pace once the mysteries begin to unravel itself. There are plenty of shocking revelations and unexpected events which makes it refreshing and unique. At first, I thought it was another one of those typical high school romance novels but it turns out to be really exclusive. Highly recommended!

What do you think you'll be reading next? 

No doubt this will be next! :)

Happy reading everyone!

The Sunday Social

1. Name 4 jobs you've had in your life.

Baker/Entrepreneur

Maitre d' hotel 

Human Resource Assistant 

Commentator

2. Name 4 movies you would watch over and over.

Despicable Me

You've Got Mail

The Notebook

Serendipity

3. Name 4 places you have lived.

La Union

Nueva Ecija

My hometown

Malabon

4. Name 4 of your favorite foods.

Lasagna or pasta

Chicken breast

Pizza

Mom's baby back ribs

5. Name 4 things you always carry with you.

Chapstick

Nivea moisturizer

Cellphone

Notebook

6. Name 4 places you have been on vacation.

Surigao Del Norte

Davao

La Union

Baguio

Poem by Sir Philip Sidney

"MY true-love hath my heart, and I have his,
By just exchange one to the other given:
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss,
There never was a better bargain driven:
My true-love hath my heart, and I have his.
His heart in me keeps him and me in one;
My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides:
He loves my heart, for once it was his own;
I cherish his because in me it bides:
My true-love hath my heart, and I have his."

The Sunday Currently, vol. 7

C  U  R  R  E  N  T  L  Y  .  .  .  

R E A D I N G Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. I was supposed to read Insurgent after I finished The Book Thief last Friday, but then a good friend of mine recommended this to me. It's a typical story of a high school girl named Sky, who met a handsome young man and together they embark on a romantic journey full of twists and turns. This is a light and refreshing novel that's easy to read, a respite from the heavy novels that I've read the past few days.

W R I T I N G my Christmas Wishlist which I'm gonna post soon! :)

L I S T E N I N G to Rihanna's latest song, What Now.

T H I N K I N G about baking a caramel cake today. 

S M E L L I N G my freshly brewed coffee sitting beside me (what's new?).

W I S H I N G for a beautiful tomorrow for the Philippines.

H O P I N G I would get the job that I recently applied for so that I could do something worthwhile and earn while waiting for the new school year.

W E A R I N G an over sized blue cotton shirt and white short.

L O V I  N G Lindt chocolate a touch of sea salt so much!

W A N T I N G a good quality and affordable set of make-up brushes. I've been searching online and I think the ones from Real Techniques, Landmark, ELF and Ecotools are great! 

N E E D I N G to be more patient and calm when it comes to my future endeavors. I have this tendency to over think things which only results to insignificant thoughts and feelings. I really need to put an end to all these dwelling and such.

F E E L I N G grateful for the tremendous support that my older brother has given me throughout the years. He would always encourage me to become a better person and he's one of my greatest role models.

C L I C K I N G this (which my "needing" prompted me to)

God bless! :) Join us in The Sunday Currently Link-up

WWW Wednesday!

WWW Wednesday is a weekly feature from Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll be reading next?

So here are my answers:

What are you you currently reading?

After reading so many good reviews about this book, I was convinced to see what the fuss is all about so I went ahead and purchased it yesterday. I'm really liking the story so far.

What did you recently finish reading?

Twisted and bizarre. I'm amazed at how Murakami made every character appear interesting even though they have nothing big or special going on in their lives. This is brilliant!

What do you think you'll be reading next? 

The second installment of the Divergent trilogy.