landscaping 101

It has been 2 weeks since my husband and I moved into our new home yet we still have some stuff to sort and organize. Except for Lola "Mama ni Glenn" living across our house (that's how she wants to be called), we haven't really met our neighbors too! You may be wondering what is keeping me and my husband busy the past few days. The answer to that is landscaping 101!

We never thought landscaping could be so interesting. Like what my Facebook shoutout states "landscaping entails your patience as you wait for your plants to mature, it requires a lot of cash, but landscaping is equal to F-U-N". Every weekend morning, Gino and I go straight to our backyard and have our breakfast there. Staring at the few plants we have while drinking a warm cup of chocolate drink, our morning conversation will mostly be about which plants to grow and what type of garden set will suit our outdoor theme. We are both lucky to have mothers introducing us to various palms, trees and flowering plants. My sister, who is an architect, is a great help too in giving ideas on how to layout our garden!

I am not leaving everything to our relatives though. I am doing my homework too! From what I have read about growing one's garden, there are 3 things I have to remember: colors, height and curves. Play with various colors of leaves and flowers. Blend plants in different heights. Add curves as borders to create a zen mood.

Now I have to go and catch up on my landscaping readings. Oh, and I have to water our growing papaya and palm trees and my attractive yellow sundrop flowering plant!

settled and at home

Unpacked boxes. Dusty furnitures. Uncultivated garden. So goes the tale of a married couple who just moved into a new home. But despite several downsides of transferring to a new house, Gino and I are in a state of bliss! We have finally settled here and we feel so at home!

Credits HERE.

a new beginning

It has been said time and again --- start the new year right. A new you. A new outlook in life. A new beginning. For my husband and me, the new year means a new home!

After living in the cramped space of our 3rd floor unit, finally, Gino and I are moving into a new and bigger home. This will happen this Friday, the 8th of January. And for the first time in our lives, my husband and I will live in Southern Metro Manila. It will be a major change, especially for me, since it's far from my place of work. But this new home is a bountiful gift left on our door, without us praying for it.

Commuting around the metro will be difficult, that I don't deny. But with a comfortable house to go home to, opening its gate, unlocking its door and exploring its garden are the things we'll look forward to!

new hopes in 2010

As the year 2009 comes to an end,
Gino and I are wishing you and your family
new hopes, new joys and new beginnings in 2010!

Credits HERE.

Happy new year blogmates!

home for the holidays

Three days before Christmas of 2009, Gino and I were still undecided if we will be joining my clan's yearly reunion in Pampanga. We thought of spending the day quietly, just him and me, somewhere in the metro. But my mama kept reminding me how rarely my relatives get to see me. That uncomplicated sentence carried a sensible thought. If you know what my relatives went through, you would do what we've done --- drive home to Pampanga early morning of Christmas.

From the time we rode my sister's Starex up to the time they drove us back home in Cainta, the whole family kept rolling in laughter. My camera kept capturing smiles and candid moments. The tripod I brought came in handy too as we did our funny poses. At the end of the day, Gino and I knew we made the right choice of spending time with our family and relatives. Truly, there's no place like home for the Holidays!

Credits HERE.

View more photos of our Christmas with the Celiz family HERE.

dream big in 2010

The year 2009 is, by far, the best one for me and my husband. An abundant amount of blessings came by our doorstep --- some, we prayed for and some... just came.

As we reflect on it, Gino and I both wish we have thanked Him enough with the way we have touched lives. In our own little way, we have tried to put meaning in the lives of people with inadequate resources. We both know we can't change their lives permanently. But at least for the time we were with them, my husband and I were responsible for those smiles painted on their faces.

Exactly 79 hours from now, we shall all welcome the year 2010. We know not what lies in the coming days of the new year. But instead of fearing the unknown, what we can do is to have goals. Think of bright days ahead. Plan. Work on your plans. Visualize your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Let us all dream big in 2010!

Credits HERE.

a child at play

You would have to do a lot of prompting before Terrence, my husband's nephew, poses for the camera. He loves to jump and move around, thus, making it really challenging for the person behind the camera to take a picture of him. But this holiday season, Gino and I discovered an easy way to trick Terrence. Play, explore and discover!

As he played, explored and discovered his grandmother's backyard in Sto. Tomas Batangas, Terrence acted as if he was in a whole new world! He gamely posed for the camera, unmindful of insects that crawled on his legs. He remained animated the whole time we were there as he discovered various organisms! With his Tito Gino acting as his Science teacher, I was beaming with happiness as I captured every discovery they made!

You can discover more about a person
in an hour of play than in a year
of conversation. - Plato

Title of the Photo: A Child at Play
Date Taken: December 27, 2009
Camera: Canon EOS 400D

View more Christmas photos with the Magtoto family HERE.