so...

i know that everyone has been wondering what has happened and why have i decided to stop blogging for a while. i don't know if you can still remember the story about my boys, The Franciscan Quartet, going to Hollywood for that competition. well, here's an update --- they are NOT going anymore! aaaaaaaw.. i know how this could be disappointing but nobody else could be more disappointed than us, their moms. WHY AREN'T WE GOING? well, simply because we weren't able to pass the Visa interview. and we, the moms, were all refused of this visa for no known reason (i guess).. the officer who conducted our interview was an Asian guy who, i think, doesn't really know what he was doing right at that moment. he was asking the officer (an American guy) regarding our papers and what to do about it. and then he just said, "would you still allow your son to go without you?" i answered "yes, BUT!.." then he cut me right there and said "okay, you are being refused an American visa and you may now proceed to the courier service right at the pavilion." and i was like 0_0 "duh?" yes! yes! yes! it went just like that and then nothing! (pfffft!)

now, what was that?!

okay.. before we all went for the interview, i told myself that no matter what will happen, passed or not, i wouldn't mind. i'm kinda half-hearted about this whole thing because i know that i can't really afford to go... talk about the airfare and the hotel accommodation expenses and such?... i just can't afford it. the sponsors didn't really help a lot because of the election that took place last month. and most of our contacts were politicians who were just throwing off some of their wealth to win the election. and some of them even told us that if ever they have extra money to spend - well, they won't be spending it on us. :( well, that's life.

i don't hold any grudges for anybody... actually, i was kinda relieved. although i wanted so much to call that Asian officer in the embassy a name, like "inconsiderate asshole" but naaah! that wouldn't help either... and if we did passed, how are we going to handle everything?

now that the Hollywood dream is over, i can move on to the next step. it's almost school time here and my youngest daughter, hasn't enrolled yet. i haven't shopped for their school needs. and it's all because i'm short of funds. my online shop has to stop for a while because i am too busy processing our papers. and now i'm bringing back everything in order... it's barely 2 weeks but i'm keeping my fingers crossed.. i had to earn some more money so i can send my youngest one to school. all of my savings were spent to our passport and other necessary papers for the trip. it ain't easy! i'm left with nothing but empty pocket, little money in the bank and debts. all because of that trip. :(

all i can think of right now is to keep moving forward. it's useless to rant about them. i can't afford to waste my precious blog space, time and effort. but i'll tell you a story some other time about my adventures with the foreign affairs here. i just need a little more contemplating before i could write them all down. :) har har har!

i'll see you around again... very soon. ^___^ i missed everyone out here!

leaving?

it's been a long time since i last blogged here... oh please! don't think that i have left my blogger acct.. yes, i'm in tumblr lately, enjoying the fun of micro-blogging.. but that doesn't mean that i'm leaving you, guys. especially you, Mr. G.A.G.! lol! :)

i admit that i've gotten a bit lazy and most of the time, i'm out with the boys, looking for sponsors for the July trip... what else? uhm, we are preparing for their fund raising concert this coming Saturday. not really a big one but we're expecting it to be. :) of course, we have to take care of ticket selling, preparation of the venue, guest list, costumes, that "F" visa application, training, and my shop. ugh!

i am really having a hard time choosing what i should do first and what i can leave for now then come back for it later... the shop badly needs my attention, but what can i do? my cam's battery died a long time ago! its replacement hasn't arrived yet... :(

April 24th, hubby and i celebrated our birthday (yes, we do have the same birth date!). few guests have arrived and most stayed up until 5 in the morning. all drunk and happy! :) while i... i got tons of dishes to wash after the party! huhuhu :(

i do hope you can bare with me... perhaps i'd be able to go back to my old self after all these activities. i have so much to share but i couldn't find the time and the urge to write them all down here... maybe that "F" niche thing made me feel lazy about this whole blogging thing! it is really sickening... why can't i just have a blog where i can put down everything? happy, sad, angry, mad, rants, reviews... whatever! i don't intend to make money out of this, anyway. i tried, but it's very complicated and i don't like it! those badges on the right will prove it, but i was never active in any of those things! one day, i will clean up all these and make this space so personal and filled only with the things i love. just wait and see!

btw, i would like to congratulate my sister, C! she was able get her own domain! yay! please visit her site! xD and to you, my very dear Wilmy... i missed you soo much! you have no idea! :)

~HUGZ x Zillion!~

100th? (Blog Giveaway :))

oh my! am i counting it right? this is my 100th post! yay to that! and my blogaversary is near! 0_0

err... what should i do now? :)

a. go back to bed and get some more sleep?
b. treat an orphan to lunch?
c. visit a salon and get a nice soothing massage?
d. write and write and write more til i reach another hundredth?
e. any creative suggestion?
0_0???

aaaaw! how time flies... i was MIA for weeks, i guess... that's due to our busy sched with sponsor hunting for the Quartet's WCOPA Hollywood trip. one of my friends suggested that i should use the power of the internet and blogging to help ourselves get what we need. which i really don't think would work since most of my readers are from other countries. but she said, it wouldn't hurt if i'd try. maybe, somewhere or somehow, a fellow Filipino blogger or reader will help us get the help we need. please help us by spreading the word through your blogs, Facebook Walls, or whatever form and rest assured that everything will be appreciated. i'm kinda losing hope... until now everything is ZERO! ugh! but i'll keep holding on for my ADJ1, it's his dream and i'm trying to help him make it true (oh, what mothers would do!)... as they say, believe and all things are possible... ;)

well, here's an old video of the Franciscan Quartet singing "When you believe" by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. (i love listening to this! it keeps me up somehow :))



if you want to see more, please follow this link:
buneng6
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SO... if you are reading this, answer the question above (be creative!) by leaving a comment below, share the video up there (or you can choose from their vids, just visit the links posted) and get the chance to WIN these:
A BAG OF CUTE STUFFS THAT I BOUGHT FROM PAPEMELROTI!!! To see more of their cuteness, visit their site here. Why Papemelroti? Simply because i'm a huge fan of their shop, their story and all the things that they sell. (And I'm loving them since my High School days! How many times do I have to say that?)


What's in the bag?



1. a reusable paperbag made of recycled materials
2. a bag holder (not from Papemelroti)
3. a pack of scrapbook materials
4. a pocket daily planner (very handy!)
5. a small scrapbook (cute!)
6. a bag charm (not from Papemelroti)
7. bookmark
8. stickers


you like it? 0_0 you know what to do!

AND these too:






ok, these are 2 "wow!" items from our shop! the first one is a cuff with a ring and the other one is a choker. the choker is my personal favorite! :) both of them are made by US! (i mean me and my freakish friend, remember her? ^_^)

HERE'S HOW TO JOIN:
1. GIVE ME A GOOD ANSWER TO THE QUESTION POSTED ABOVE. (means you have to leave me a comment)
2. SHARE THE VIDEO ABOVE OR YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL (link posted above, too.)
3. MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADD AND THE LINK TO YOUR POST OR WHERE YOU HAVE POSTED THIS GIVEAWAY. (this means that you'll have to repost this giveaway with the video on your blog, twitter, Facebook, etc. just send me a valid link, ok?)
4. THIS GIVEAWAY WILL END ON MARCH 31, 2010, SO THAT MEANS YOU'LL HAVE TO KEEP ON CHECKING US BACK. WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED THROUGH E-MAIL. WE WILL VISIT YOUR BLOG TOO, TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE WON.
~TWO WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN. THE MOST CREATIVE ANSWER AND REPOST-ER WILL GET THE PAPEMELROTI BAG OF GOODIES AND THE SECOND BEST WILL GET THE CHOKER AND CUFF SET.~

see? easy-peasy! :)

and oh, BTW! THIS IS NOT A PAPEMELROTI SPONSORED CONTEST. all of these stuffs are purchased by ME and sponsored by our shop. my blog is a year older and i'm soo happy about it! it's just my way of saying thanks to everyone who came and gone here and to the frequent visitors who shared a comment or two. everyone and every word means a lot to me! i'm looking forward to more years of blogging experience and gaining friends around the globe! :)

i'll see you around, pals!
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oh by the way, if you want to win more stuffs, join my sister's giveaway! yay! visit Every Thought Counts. you'll like it too! :)

too good to be true... but yes! it's true!

yesterday was really awesome! as in! until now i am in a state of shock! oh here i go again... i hate going into details but i have to make this quick and clear...

well, yesterday, we head off to an audition and i really don't know what was it about.. all i know is that they'll have sing and if they are lucky, they're in! but i realized that this one was different! it's for WCOPA! World Championships Of Performing Arts is the first and only international series of competitions to find and crown the best aspiring performing artists on Earth culminates its search annually with the prestigious World Championships of Performing Arts in "Hollywood" - the entertainment capital of the world!

and that means, The Franciscan Quartet is going to represent our country to compete in Hollywood on July this year!!! isn't that HUGE?! ^_^ i couldn't believe it! i just don't know what to say! it's overwhelming!!! oh geez! i'm so sorry! let me breathe... ~wink!~

during the whole time that we've spent in that hotel, waiting for our turn, i did nothing but sit around, go to the smoking lounge and crochet some flowers for the bookmarks that i'm sharing to my friends... i didn't want to think too much about the results. it's like punishing myself inch by inch. i have to kill my time and relax.

(cam whoring at the smoker's lounge! ^_^)
(my feet needed some time off from that killer shoes. ugh!)

but there are just those moments that cannot be avoided. like when it was their turn to sing, we were also called inside the room to watch. my heart wanted soo much to pop out of my chest! really, dude! i stayed at the back to take some photos and tried hard not to distract the panel of judges, the crew and the camera man who documents everything that day.
(during their turn)

each auditionee must sing at least half of their piece and will be interviewed by the judges. one of them is the international director of the event. she'd wave her hand and then the music will be cut off and then gives her comments about the auditionee's performance. we've seen this lots of times in the American Idol or any talent-reality show, right? but wen it was the boys' turn to prove themselves, the judges listened carefully and didn't cut it off. the judges listened to the entire song! after the first piece (which was The Climb by Miley Cyrus) and some comments like "oh, i think you have a chance..." and "you're all good!", one of them asked, "do you have another song? because we wouldn't mine listening again..." and smiled. they sang again and this time it's "Listen" by Beyonce... the judges were all nodding and smiling. wutthe?...! was that it? i mean, is it equal to 'yes, you're in!'? my heart can't stop jumping and my tears were rolling! OMG! is this really happening?! i'm freaking out!!!

and yes, i have the reason to freak out because after so many turns, all of us were called again inside that small function room. it's time. we all stood (the boys shared seats) and waited for the big announcement and MAN! you can really feel the anxiety inside that room!

and to our surprise, the panel of judges looked our way and said, "before we make the announcement, may we call on the Franciscan Quartet to sing for us again." AAAAAAHCK!!! i tried hard not to panic but my palms were sweating and heart pumping hard again. (here's the illegal vid that i took when they sang for the third time)


(woohooo!)
obviously, they have won the slot. i saw how others have reacted to this -- some got disappointed, some unhappy and some shrugged their shoulders... aaaaw! i hate that part... but it's always like that. i mean, it's a competition. one wins and the others lose. it's normal. otherwise, there'd be no competition at all. we've been through those tough times too, but the boys gladly accepted it. only this time, it was them who won. i don't know what the judges saw in them, but it was clear that they were very impressed. i am happy, sooo happy!!! my son was one of them.
(with the other auditionees)

(the participants and the whole team)

(the winners...)

but not as happy. because that means i should get off my butt here and process our documents ASAP. it's alright. at least i'll get more stories to blog and share to you... :)

i pray that we'll be able to secure US Visa and raise funds for our plane tickets and other trip expenses and such. this part worries me... :(

anyway, this is getting long... i'll see you again soon and hope i'll have some more good news to post. wish us luck! ^_^

PARTAY!

few pics from our little Christmas party... oh, i mean the FQ Christmas party. i didn't take much photos for i was so engrossed with chatting with my co-parents and the older kids who were also there. we went to the seaside (just behind the Mall of Asia) and we head off to the seaside market and restaurant. that was a fun experience for me! we went to the market and bought some stuff first... fresh fish, mussels and prawns and then let the restaurant handle the rest. everything is fresh and of course, delicious! yummm!

(the kids had so much fun at the seaside park)

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(this is the wet market.. where we shopped for fresh stuffs)

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see these strange creatures? believe me! they're edible! ugh! (faint!)







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this fish, (i don't know it's name) is really good! and the prawns are to die for! (rrrrawr!)





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tempura and sauteed shrimp.... (drool!)


tangy fish soup -- yummmmy!


oh! i forgot... this one goofy photo of me with the fish guy! lol!



hope you too, had a merry Christmas! and a healthy happy New Year ahead! :)

The Franciscan Quartet and the Climb

(Franciscan Quartet and local DJ, Papa Dudut)

who are they? well, they are a group of four young boys who sings well and always get to be invited to perform in malls, schools and several events elsewhere. one of them is my eldest son, ADJ1. he's eleven and now in 5th grade. the group started in December last year but they were able to make the people "wow!" everytime they'd perform. and most people would say they are like the little version of Il Divo.

last saturday (Aug. 29), they were invited to sing in a mall nearby. they will be the front act of this famous singer/celebrity but unfortunately, the said singer/celeb can't show up because well, they said he's sick.

anyway, the show must go on, so they went on and sang for the people who are now disappointed . kinda scary, huh? so, me and the other members' moms stayed in the front row, all smiling and proud and trying hard to make the boys comfortable. we don't want them to be distracted by the crowd's reaction due to dismay for not seeing their "idol" that day. if i was them i would be really, really disappointed! come to think of it... they went there and fought hard to secure a nice seat (you will be required to buy his album to be able to enter the fence built by the mall management) and watch the show and then later on, get his autograph and photo op with him. thank heavens for most of the audience stayed and watched the boys sing.



they sang "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus. i was really amazed on their own rendition of the song. you see, i'm not a huge "Miley Cyrus Fan" (not even a bit), her songs are ok to me but it wasn't soo good until i heard the boys' version. (you can add the fact that i am a proud mom of one of them ) i took their vid because i thought that i'd be sharing it here. and i want the whole world to see how proud i am, not just of my ADJ1 but all of them!

hope you enjoy watching/listening !



btw, my son's the third little guy from your left...

new life for an old shoes and the Quartet

Mother's Day

part of my morning routine is to have a coffee while sitting on the couch and staring blankly on the floor and think about my things-to-do for the day.

i realize that i have to get my ass up and start working because my son and his co-singers will perform later at the mall nearby. i have to iron his suit and his pants. i have to think of what to wear. i have to make them breakfast too...

urgh!

okay!

let's start.

but wait...

........

is that my old flats laying on the corner?

oh, my poor old friend...



................

i paused... and stared blankly again...

and i walked back in to my room and grabbed my things.


(it has a very visible tear)

and then i started working on it.



i've been planning to do this like since i was born... (LOL!) but i just can't find the time to sit down for a while and work on it. these past few days, i am filled with soo many obligations and errands. ((my sister in law is getting married next week. she asked for my assistance and i was glad that i can be of help. i never thought that it would be so exhausting and exciting on my part. but then, i don't mind. i am enjoying every moment of it.))

since i still have extra time that morning, and i have no shoes to match my outfit for the day, i sat back to the couch again until i finished my little DIY project. it was a success! duh?! anybody can do it with both eyes closed. haha! just kidding... it's damn easy! now i have a new flats to walk around with... (or should i say reinvented?)

whatever...

later that day, we all went to see my son's performance and i wore my old brand new shoes...


it was one day in my life that i should be thankful of. i do not even have to tell you why... *wink*



(the second little guy wearing a blue neck tie is my first born)