weekend getaway

this weekend was supposedly a trip to las vegas to attend a friend's wedding, but unfortunately we did'nt make it. we decided to go out of town just so we don't waste out few days off. it was pretty good to consider that we only spent a fraction of what's suppose to be an airfare and hotel for 4 in las vegas compare to gas money and hotel, and a good q.t.
friday morning we packed our stuff and head on. first stop...houston.
after eating peking duck at our fave china town restaurant, our hotel awaits us...























renaissance houston hotel greenway plaza
(above pic from marriot.com)














view from our room is grand














arend enjoying a chat with his imaginary phone buddy "john"














posing outside of the hotel before going to...where else???














the galleria.
houston trip is not complete without a stroll at the galleria. but i did'nt buy any purses this time. i manage to get some shoes and jeans thou.

boardwalk

the next day - saturday was a short drive to kemah. i cannot believe that this place exist. all these years we've been driving to houston.(tsk.tsk.) its an amusing place not just for kids.















the crab house



















our table's by the deck over looking the neighbor resto...joe's crab house














and the waters...














train ride took us around the park...










































































































after all that walking and a dizzy ride on the merry go around. we called it a day.

galveston island

sunday we checked out and drove to galveston island.
not a long drive at all.passed by the old beautiful city road...




















the beach was packed from the beach party this weekend. thank goodness we came by and almost the party's over. we checked in at out hotel,
the hotel galvez - wyndham historic hotel














A sparkling vision of Victorian elegance rising from
the sand and surf, the Hotel Galvez -
A Wyndham Historic Hotel in Galveston, Texas,
was known as the "Queen of the Gulf" on the day
she opened in 1911.














beach view from our room is spectacular




























































































the pool was fun and hot tub was soothing




















we ate dinner and scoped the island and shoped for goodies that night














a walk by the dirty beach (smirk*) before driving back home




















this little vacation by the beach is a preview for out trip next month to nags head. hoping that the water will be clean for swimming.
ciao

gloomy days

summer time, vacation and my coming up birthday supposedly cheering me up but seems like bleak days are approaching. my outlook of summer has'nt change, i still suffer from summer s.a.d.
but that is not really the point. mom's chemo treatment is almost over for this course and the big question mark is...what's next???
what's next is the painful truth that her days are counted. dr kost still sticking with his word "10-12 months to live" based on his knowledge and experience with medicine and oncology. her cancer count is going down but the tumors are the same. she has a new big tumor right close the vaginal opening that was'nt there before that's causing her to bleed continously but very little where she can still do normal day to day stuff that she needs to do.
my mom's just taking it one day at a time. i see her teary eyes often that she tries to hide. i do the same but she always tells me not to cry coz it makes her loose her strength. what is really left there to do? (i always ask her) except of course be with family and loveones. my step dad is far from possible to come to the states. my brother hopefully will get his chance and that's what she prays for everynite.
no one wants to die but we all go there. she is accepting it little by little. the last time i ask her what she wants she replied that she's not gonna die yet. but today she is more specific and detailed.
what can i do? i don't know. do i hug her and kiss her? i don't remember ever doing that. i grew up knowing she was always away working. like what all single parents do, struggle to live and send their kids to school and be away to work so she can buy us what we want. she would be gone for a year or two and come back and leave again. i remember those days where i cry myself to sleep thinking and missing her. i gave her heartaches, i still do. growing with aunts and my grandma made me a different person. so cold and ungrateful. i don't know how,but i did.
she tried with her short stays during her vacation to express her love. i don't blame her, she had to do and go and be away. it was for us her kids, her love. i just wish situation was different. but hey, there's no perfect life. it did'nt make me a bad person, and i love her and thank her for all that. but i don't show it with hugs and kisses.
i remember how happy i was when she got here 2 years ago. i was thinking all this life we were always apart and finally she's living with me, wow wee! we get to do girly stuff together, shop,manicure and spas. no material things can beat my happiness being with her. but now she's sick. i wish we could do more fun stuff together but either way, i'm always here.
life is just so unfair.

idle mode

i'm just feeling sluggish today. feel so worthless and drained.
the more i sleep the more i feel washed out.
i woke up at 10, ate breakfast then watched the chronicles of narnia
with arend. i was more interested than he is. after, went back to sleep then woke up - went to the gameroom and layed on the sofa and fell asleep again. got up since pong came home early. cooked dinner and ate at 5. arend fell from the dining room chair (he's fine, no scratch) while we were eating supper. he won't stop moving around and does'nt wanna be up on his high chair (typical toddler) i wish i had all his energy.
after dinner, took shower watch tv and booked plane tickets for pong's aunt and uncle's trip to virginia in may. thank god that's over with and all i have to worry is for our trip and tickets.
can't wait to get out of texas for a little bit.

something to look forward to... i managed to get some discounted tickets
(hope seating's okay :0) this wednesday for
~ disney on ice ~ the incredibles ~

early birthday present

happy birthday to me.
happy birthday to me.
happy birthday, happy birthday
happy birthday to me.

no it's not yet my birthday and this is a no surprise gift.
i dragged my sweetie to nieman marcus at the shops. i did'nt see frank but the lady was so nice to assist me with my purchase. i requested it to be wrapped, she glanced at me, smiled and said "sure!". i know in her mind she's wondering, "what the???"
but hey, it's my gift ... to my self. thank you.



























i know! slap me on the hands. but i'm gonna have to blame a very convincing
bag addict (you know who you are). this is not totally my fault.

tada! monogram speedy
(i have to take pictures with the plastic on handles to prove that original louis vuitton sometimes comes with...*nuff said)



















i loves this bag ever since, but my loving sweetie comments that he sees his mom on me
(she has a vintage fendi with same size and style.)
"com'on!" i said and blah blah blah...blah blah blah
eventually tsk*... i got it!


sure the perforated speedy in fushia was dazzling




















and the fushia baggy gm. yum yum!



















but soooooo pricey. each bag costing my monthly mortgage plus car payment.
nice, but no thanks.

the rest of my weekend's a drag. i had to do this whole day class, free lunch but nothing exciting. except for this hottie that sat in front of me. worked with him almost 2 years now and he still looks yummy. wait till i get a shot of his six pack. double yummy.

stupid bluetooth moment and disney mobile

ever had an encounter with a person that you thought was talking to you then you start talking back and you come to realize that the other ear not visible to you has a bluetooth?
what's with this people running around with their bluetooth on anyway, and they think they look cool where in fact they look like a freaking robot or buzz lightyear. ugh! they look stupid. i hate it. i know i have one but i never used it.
ok, so here goes my story... i went to the grocery store and at the feminine section while picking some pantyliners. i stopped and checked out the feminine washes at the same isle and then this lady stood looking at the same direction i was looking at. and then said 'so what do you suggest?' so i started pointing at some bottles and she was like "o yea!, umhum!, ok, what else?" then continued going on and on on talking even thou i stop pointing. so as i glanced at her. i realize that she was just staring at the items and not even looking to where i was pointing. i realized that she was on her bluetooth. i don't even think that she knew i was suggesting stuff from pointing on the items. i was so embarrased and just tried to get the hell out of there as fast as i can.

on the other hand, (still about phones) disney mobile markets 10-15 year olds and parents. cool features include gps technology in where parents can map location of kids from their phone or pc. able to set up monthly spending limits and what times and days the kid can make phone calls. other thing is when the parent calls (family manager), and you are on the line talking to somebody, it drops that call and lets thru the family manager.
pretty cool eh!

ba'-beeeee!

my weekend spent at work listening to this all nightlong confused patient hollering her kids name sounded like ba'-beeeeee. it reminded us of whitney houston's drug den. imagining whitney calling out bobbi's name while high on coke or crack. up to now that name,
i still hear at the back of my head. damn!


(pic courtesy of gawker)