STONECPS

Artscow is giving away free photo books again to their loyal customers. If you order more than $10 (including shipping fee), you get a free 7x5 (40 paged) photo book.

Just enter the coupon code: FREE7X5BOOK40P to get your complimentary photo books today. The code is valid until October 10, 2009 so log in to your Artscow account now and enter the code under your “My Credits and Discount” to add this to your freebies list.

Now that the semester is over (finally I was able to submit all the requirements. Thanks to my hubby who helped me finish all my paper work specially during those times when I was sick, I was swamped with work, or I am just plain lazy), so what is next now for me and hubby?

During the semester I learned that:

1. Even if we are enrolled in an online learning program, it still takes a lot of our time. We have one subject where we have to participate in the weekly discussion board as it is part of the grading system.

2. Our professor still uses different styles in delivering the online course. I have one professor who just posted the course handouts in the portal and we did not hear from him ever since. I did not even see him post a schedule for the finals in the portal, and for first timers like us, we are really lost as to how to go about with taking the final exams. But maybe, since it is graduate program, they really expect us to be on our own specially it is an online course so professors are supposed o be non-existent.

3. I graduated from a state university also and I realized that all other state universities are the same– they all lack organization.

4. There is no way I can survive one semester with three subjects if I have a full time job and I even have other sidelines.

So what’s next for us? Hubby and I decided that we will take a leave of absence this semester. It is the holiday season, a time to have fun with the family so this means lots of gimmicks, lot of get together, and lots of expenses. So I will need a time off from studies this semester as I don’t want to ruin my holiday season because I have to study and finish my paper works and I will really need all the time for my sideline to earn extra for all the expenses that I will incur this holiday season.

So no school for us this coming semester. Let’s see if we will find the drive to enroll again next school year. LOL.

It is teacher’s day at my daughter’s school yesterday. My mom is a former teacher and she told me that I should give a little something for my daughter’s teachers because that is what her former students usually do when she was still teaching.

My initial plan was to buy a gift certificate at the spa beside the school. I even inquired already last week. The price is good (P580 for 1 hour massage) and I even checked out their facilities. They have a private massage room, a Jacuzzi, sauna and gym. I was already planning of going back there to purchase the gift certificates but then I saw the cute anniversary edition tumbler from Starbucks.

I asked my sister and my cousin which should I buy and they both agree that the Starbucks tumbler was the best choice. At least they can use it longer than the sap GC.

My daughter gave the gift yesterday to her teachers and she was really excited as she was with me when I bought the tumbler and she loves it too. Hope her teachers will love her gift.

Hubby knows that there is no way that I will be doing our final exams as I really lost interest in finishing this semester for our Masteral degree. And since he loves me so much (LOL), he offered to do my Final Exam which means he has to do two versions since he needs to make two papers (one for him and one for me).

We were all dressed in our PJs already but then hubby requested for a Caramel Frapuccino from Starbucks and he said that he wants to work there. If you will ask me, I would rather work in a quiet environment. But who am I to complain? I don’t have to do anything anyways but to enjoy my Frapuccino and my strawberry Belgian Waffle. LOL.

So off we went to Starbucks. We stayed there for more than an hour and hubby was able to finish ¼ of my paper. I love you daddy for doing this. I really owe you big time.

I did not know that SM San Lazaro offers free WiFi. I only found out about it when we went to Starbucks last week. Hubby was busy tinkering with his laptop and our daughter was busy running around inside the store and saying hi to everybody that she saw there or she is busy playing with her pet toys from Littlest Petshop.

Luckily I have my ever reliable Iphone. I tried enabling the Wireless Network and it did found the free WiFi of SM and it was fast. I was able to check my email, logged in to Yahoo Messenger and was able to chat with my cousin while enjoying my cup of coffee and was even able to log in to Twitter. I was even able to explore and discover Twitter Pic. I was taking pictures of our princess while she is busy playing and lounging in Starbucks and I was able to send it via Twitter Pic. Coolness.

I know I can also access Facebook from my Iphone but that one I have to explore on my next visit at SM. LOL. At least now I know, if I am waiting for hubby there, I can rely on my Iphone to past time.

Name the first 6 things you would do if you won a $200 million dollar powerball (or the lottery equivalent in your county)?

1. I will take my whole family to Europe. When I say whole family, this includes my husband, my daugther, all my aunts, their kids, my grand mother, all my cousins. We will go to all the must see places in Europe and do all the things that we can do while in Europe like ride the Gondola, go up the Eiffel Tower, etc. We will stay in a five star hotel where we will really be pampered and where we can have one relaxing time.

2. I will buy hubby his dream car. A Ferrari perhaps? LOL.

3. Hubby has been convincing me to get a loan so we can buy the lot adjacent to our house in lot in Bulacan. So if I have the money, I will buy the lot that hubby has been dreaming of buying.

4. He also wants to put up a business in our lot in Bulacan like a leisure farm and resort. If I have $200 million, we can definitely afford to put up a business like this.

5. I will set aside a big chunk of the money for the education of my daughter and of our future kids and I will make sure that I will set aside a big sum in savings to cover for their future.

6. I will buy all the LV bags, Balenciaga bags, etc that I dream of having which I really can’t afford now. LOL.

On my way to work this morning, I saw this dump truck with this sign:

Wow, how I wish we have that service in our area. I remember when hubby and I went to Los Angeles, we saw truck with a robotic arm that collects the trash form all the trash cans in front of the houses inside the village. Therefore, there is no need for manual collection of the trash because it is already being done by the machine. And we are so amazed already as this is just one clear sign of improvement, right. Something that we don’t have here in the Philippines.

So when I saw this truck, at least there is a door to door waste collection service already. One step towards improvement. One little step at a time. So maybe, there is still hope for the Philippines.

One of our favorite restaurants, Amici, has opened another shop – Car Mia Gelateria. They sell Gelato (yum, yum. Our favorite), Affogato, Gelato Cakes (this we really want to try), pastries and cakes.

Gelato, the Italian ice cram, was first created in the 16th century in Florence, Italy when flavored crushed ice and slush0like desserts became popular. This flavorful and milky desserts which was made known to the world by generations and generations of gelato making, is now here for you to enjoy at Cara Mia Gelateria.

So what’s the difference between gelato and regular ice cream/

GELATO:

FAT CONTENT: made with more milk and lesser fat, resulting to a richer and creamier taste not to mention its health advantage.

AIR CONTENT: contains 10% air resulting to denser volume and velvety texture.

TEMPERATURE: kept in warmer temperature of -14 degrees, making it perfectly soft but firm so it can melt in your mouth and its full flavor is enjoyed.

QUANTITY: produced daily in small batches ensuring its freshness.

ICE CREAM:

FAT CONTENT: contains more fat because its main component is cream thus masking its full flavor.

AIR CONTENT: composed of up to 50% air cutting the quality in half.

TEMPERATURE: stored in a freezing point of -23 degrees keeping it solidly frozen and hard to scoop.

QUANTITY: made in large batches and kept frozen for long periods of time.

Gelatos of Cara Mia are available in following delectable flavors: Pistachio, Sans Rival, Strawberry Supreme, Mango Jubilee, Straciatella, Mint with chocolate, Espresso, Choco with Nuts, Blueberry Supreme, Nocciola, Guianduia, Mango Classic, Vanilla, Ube, Macapuno, Pineapple, Banana and Cioccolato.