MY 40TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS!

EGAD it finally happened.

I turned 40!

Confusing right? I know, I know, that I don't look a day over 20 years old but that's the truth. And if many do not believe it, I would still have to face that I....

... am older than Annie in WHEN HARRY MET SALLY.

... am older than Rachel in FRIENDS.

.... am older than the 4 geezers in SEX AND THE CITY.

... am older than Maria in THE SOUND OF MUSIC!!!!!!

Egad I'm old!

Anywho, the best thing with my age though is that now I am surrounded with more people whom I love and vise versa (I think/hope) than when I was younger. Believe me that I had so much fun with my two week (and more) birthday gimmicks that I almost had a heart attack plus bout of rheumatism!

Kidding aside, I know I may have put off making this blog entry for quite sometime because there were just too many to post and write about. And of course I'm sure you know that this old lady is quite lazy! But reviewing the pictures and reminiscing on the laughter, food, and love at turning a year older just made me feel so overwhelmed with all the blessings that I would (many times) take for granted.

Like I said many times during my two week (and more) birthday celebrations, turning 40 is not so bad after all if your days are filled with eating, smiling, hugging, and LOVING.

Of course, it doesn't hurt too if you got the best family and friends to do it with!

I AM NOW OLDER THAN SHARON IN THOSE SHARON-GABBY MOVIES would you believe??????

Sorry I can't move on.

:P

Presenting my birthday celebrations!!!!

For my first BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, I asked my BP Group for an out of town staycation in Tagaytay City.

The drive may not be so long but there was already a bit of traffic.  Good thing my husband downloaded MAP FACTOR and it was able to show us some detours to avoid the jams. 

Do try it out! It's free and you could use it without internet!

When we have an out of town drive, I always stay at the back with little Andrei. We kept ourselves occupied by watching some DOWNTON ABBEY! My favorite at that time!

While watching, we snacked on some biscuits plus ice cold juice and chocolait!

And we're here in Tagaytay!

The first meal to kick off my early birthday weekend was in BAG OF BEANS! 

Whenever you're in Tagaytay, you should always make a pit stop here for their delicious food and take home pastries!

The early birds for my BIRTHDAY brunch were Team Virrey.... 

... and Camp Campo!

Besides their delicious rice meals, guess what we had?

You'll find that out in the blog soon!

Okay fine. Here's a peek!

 

ERICJAZ FOODIES with BP friends in BAG OF BEANS!

Blog post coming soon!

I'm glad that because they also have their own set of friends in the BP Group, my little lords always look forward to having meet ups with them. 

Team Virreys' Johans and Jelo would always want to ride with us to have more "kulitan" sessions with buds Mati and Andrei.

When they go with us it gives me a preview of how it is having 4 boys in the family. 

My usual reaction? Why didn't I have more boys in the family??!!! It just seems all crazy fun!

Later on we drove to Cafe Breton to meet some more of the BP friends....

The Quitorianos!

While the ladies were chatting, the little kiddies played outside.

Don't worry. They have somebody who is guarding them that I could count on. 

Of course as we have the great Taal Volcano in the background, a pictorial was in order!

I love going to Tagaytay because you will instantly see one of the top wonders of the world at only 2 hours from Manila!

Of course, it's fun seeing it with a group that makes you wonder about your sanity as well! Tee Hee!

We will be having my BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION staycation in HOTEL KIMBERLY! Team Virrey arranged this all for us. 

We love it at HOTEL KIMBERLY because even if you won't get a view of the Taal Volcano, they have a lot of activities that would certainly make the whole family happy.

We were all so giddy and hyper all throughout the weekend that we even attempted to have a jump shot!

Oh wow. I really felt my big 4-0 going down from that jump shot. It seemed that everything about me is too heavy that I thought I was going to have rheumatism right then and there!!!!!

 

For dinner that night,  Jonahs and Aning again organized a delicious dinner at Restaurant Verbena in Discovery Suites!

 

Dinner for that BIRTHDAY night was definitely unforgettable!!!!

More on my blog COMING SOON!!!!! 

 

For lunch the next day, we ate at Moreillis!!!

 

Look at my face. That is a face who is suffering from a jump shot injury! Ha ha ha ha ha!

 

The wife of the owner of MOREILLI'S was very accommodating and gave us all print outs of the meaning of our names! When she discovered that we were eating there as part of my BIRTHDAY weekend, she also sent out a complimentary dessert with candle!

 

 

Such a great lunch with wonderful friends to end my BP BIRTHDAY STAYCATION in Tagaytay!!

Blogpost coming soon!!! 

When we got home that night, the Chinese Adonis treated me to some Ramen to make up for our usual date night!

 

After some milky Ramen from IKKORYU FUKUOKA, we then watched some 50 SHADES of GREY SPOT. 

Tee hee!!!!!!

The night before my birthday, my husband treated me to yet again, another date night with dinner and KINGSMAN!

It would have been a perfect pre-birthday date night if Collin Firth did not die!!! GRRRRR!!!!

 

Minutes before my birthday, I did something I have never done for a LOOOOOONG TIME. Like for a decade!

It may seem so trivial but it's been years since I've had toast with loads of butter. Of course, since I became an adult and watching my crummy cholesterol, I became weary of anything loaded with butter on it and my favorite toast became witness to that.

So for tonight on the big 4-0, I wanted to indulge!

Toast with LOADS of butter it is!

 

 

Every birthday, THE YAPPY BUNCH would celebrate it by surprising the celebrant at the strike of 12:00am. My husband, the ever romantic, did surprise me. That is, with a cake that was already forgotten in the freezer that it has sprouted fungi already!!!!!

Even my master Mati showed strong disapproval to the very fugly cake!!!!! Grrrrrr!!!!!!!!

Sorry. I will be a 40 year old brat and say that the thought this time DOESN'T count!!!!

 

The next day, I got an early greeting from FACEBOOK!!!

Same goes for GOOGLE! Awww you guys!

Oops... Now you saw the topics that I was searching for in Google.

Headlines for my BIRTHDAY!

 

WAITAMINIT! Where are the comics???

 

It was a holiday for schools so Mati and Andrei didn't have any classes. As for me, I took my birthday leave!

My BIRTHDAY calendar!

Haaaay... It's been awhile since my age was found there. Tee hee!

As per our usual tradition, we would always go to church to pray for my blessings and have a dimsum breakfast at GLORIA MARIS.  However, due to the People Power celebration in Edsa where they closed most of the major roads, there was a heavy traffic jam on our way to Greenhills. 

Boo!!! Oh well! That wouldn't spoil my special day.

We just decided to go to Powerplant Mall and have my new favorites for breakfast!

Truffle Pasta from CIBO!

It may not be breakfast food but who cares??? It's MY boithday anyway!

My Dad also got his favorite Praga Sandwich!

Pumpkin soup for Mati!

We also got some Lasagna and the awesome Bruschetta. YUM!!!

My official BIRTHDAY breakfast!

Whenever somebody celebrates his/her birthday in my family, my Mom buys a live chicken from the market and have is as "pamalit buhay". Call it your sacrificial something to extend the celebrant's life.

Now this unlucky fellow will be our fried chicken later! Thank you for giving your life to me Mr. Chicken.

Hmmm... Our cat, Catman is just nearby. Hopefully he wouldn't dare pounce on our chicken.

IF I MAY JUST MAKE A DETOUR, let me tell you about our handsome pet CATMAN (name based on BATMAN. Get it?)

Catman is our new pet who just sprouted out of nowhere. Would you believe that even after our naughty helper poured boiling water on Catman, tied him up in a sack, and threw him somewhere far from our house, this black Cat still came back and gave our boy a creepy Meeow? 

That helper is gone now and we adopted Catman already. (As if we had a choice! Ha ha ha ha!) Besides, if something really wanted to be part of the family THAT bad, we should give him a chance right? 

PLUS, he could catch rats as big as his size! He even goes around the house nightly like a security guard.

Go CATMAN!

CATMAN is friends with our other cat GBF (Giant Beardo Face) whom my brother rescued as a kitty months ago. They're both guys and look after each other's backs. The other stray cats who want to set foot in our house doesn't stand a chance with these two!

I'm sure you could tell that Mati and Andrei name our pets. He he he he he!

SORRY! NOW BACK TO MY BIRTHDAY!!!!

We always have Chicken Tinola for our birthday lunch at home! My Mom cooks a very tasty one with a broth that is perfect with rice!

My Fried Chicken!

I got a bit of support from Jollibee though.

My Mom usually cooks a very saucy pancit bihon during birthdays but lately our favorite has been the BEST FRIEND'S miki-bihon. It's cheap and very delicious! At least, we're sparing my Mom too from getting tired that day. He he he he he!

Plus my chocolate BIRTHDAY cake from Discovery Suites! Would you believe that this still tasted as fudgy and chocolatey as if it was newly baked? I was surprised myself too!

As always, Mati is the first to eat!

My plate! My BIRTHDAY lunch plate!

Come night time, traffic in Edsa already cleared and I was able to get my wish to have my BIRTHDAY dinner at my favorite KIMPURA! Thanks Daddyowzers for the treat!! I will ALWAYS have my birthday dinner here because it has already been sort of a tradition for me. Especially if you're paying. Ha ha ha ha! That is tradition too! Kidding!

BLOG POST COMING SOON!

Besides their mouth watering teppanyaki dishes, KIMPURA has a very fresh selection of sushi and sashimi! My favorite now is always salmon! YUM!

For my BIRTHDAY midnight snack I had some of my chocolate cake. Tee hee! 

You would think that I shared this to the other people in the household. Well you thought wrong. Obviously I didn't. I'm 40 and having an attitude problem that's why.

The next day at the office, I treated my work mates to a simple merienda.

I shared the birthday treat with my two other officemates Ate Haidee and Larlene who were both turning a year older in February too!

We had some barbecue!

Noodles from BUDDY'S!

Pies!

Cheese rolls!

Lemon Cake!

Another cake!

Our favorite ice cream flavors from BIG SCOOP!

Me with Ate Heidi! We are so close and we love each other soooo much....

NOT!

BWA HA HA HA AH AH HA!

Some of my officemates from TAPE Inc!!

Come Friday night my BGP Marian and her ikky husband took me out on my BIRTHDAY in SM AURA!

Manong Fred and BGP Marian!

Black Widow and THE CHINESE HULK.

Ugh. I didn't like that part in AVENGERS 2. What about you?

Manong Fred and the Chinese Adonis have a very strong bromance. Here they are acting so sweet as Manong Fred is taking out the carrot cubes from Yub's fried rice (he doesn't eat vegetables kasi).

I think at that point, they realized the "sweetness" of their actions. Ha ha ha ha ha!

ERICJAZ FOODIES with BGP Marian and Manong Fred at LUGANG CAFE for my BIRTHDAY!

BLOG POST coming soon!

For dessert BGP treated me at her new chocolate favorite that she wanted me to try!

TODD ENGLISH!

Just in case you're wondering, me and BGP Marian go way back. We've been friends since College and our life stories somehow got intertwined that we cannot NOT be best friends. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! 

Yey! They surprised me with a birthday cake and song!

What the... TODD ENGLISH got the age wrong!

Now THAT'S better. Ha ha ha ha ha!

Omigerrd chocolate overload! BGP Marian ordered a LOT of desserts that night!

Thank you so much for the sweet birthday treat BGP!!!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH! MWAH!

BLOG POST coming soon!

For my official birthday weekend, the Chinese Adonis treated THE YAPPY BUNCH to a place where some dreams are made of (for older people... ha ha ha ha).

A weekend staycation at HYATT HOTEL!

I'm so happy that the Chinese Adonis shares my love for family time ALL THE TIME!

A weekend at HYATT, CITY OF DREAMS was truly an indulgent BIRTHDAY staycation for us. Of course THE YAPPY BUNCH gets the greatest of times everywhere as long as there's a pool in it. But, HYATT is such a welcome treat upon turning 4-0!!!

Can I turn 40 every year???

The little lords had so much fun especially that they had a big pool all to themselves!

BLOG POST coming soon!

For our late lunch in CITY OF DREAMS, I was in the mood for something Korean!

Woah! Now that's what I call pork strips! He he he he he!

We certainly had big appetites during that late lunch! 

BLOG POST coming soon!

It's very rare to catch Andrei with a favorite food but I'm happy to report that he's crazy over leche flan these days! After our heavy dinner at O KITCHEN, he really asked for some of it. 

Yub and I never hesitate giving the little lords what they want as long as food is involved. We always want them to be full and happy!

And if it's picky eater Andrei who's craving for something, he'll get it in a New York minute!

THE YAPPY BUNCH did not eat anything in this next restaurant. We really just accompanied Andrei while he answers his leche flan craving.

He was not even willing to share anyway.

Kidding!

I was able to get a teensy weensy bite!

For dinner that Saturday, OUTBACK PHILIPPINES invited ERICJAZ FOODIES to treat me for a birthday dinner!

I was supposed to be on a diet but the very thought of THIS made me decide that big is beautiful! He he he he he he!

As expected, food is SOOOOO delicious at OUTBACK restaurant! Everybody had an insane time pigging out.

Ain't that a beauty?

Oh and the steak was REALLY good too!

Kidding! 

I'm currently addicted to baked potatoes loaded with toppings. I could never have enough sour cream on the lovely sidings. Since it's my birthday, I ordered an extra helping of it.

HA! UP YOURS THIN JAZ!

Thanks so muchos OUTBACK for this delicious birthday treat!!!!

BLOG POST coming soon!

For lunch that Sunday, I treated my family to our favorite, MR. SUNMOON SEAFOOD HOUSE!

We have been eating here since we were kids when it was still in Greenhills shopping center. Now, they transferred to another area close by and we have been enjoying the savory food with the little lords in tow!

Master Mati's new favorite!

OUR favorite, Crab Foo Yong!

The food is still as delicious as before but we seem to have shrunken our tummies. We cannot eat as much as we used to!

For once, Andrei was so fast in finishing his food so that he could get on reading his new Mine Craft book!

BLOG POST coming soon!

Going home, Andrei asked for some leche flan from Nathaniel's and was able to finish the whole carton!

Lola will cook you some homemade leche flan Andrei don't worry. Believe me it's better than all of the commercial ones that you've tried!

For dinner that weekend, Mareng Gail treated me to our new favorite, IPPUDO RAMEN!

Mareng Gail and the Chinese Adonis dislike ramen with a capital D but they love IPPUDO! 

Mati asked if he could come along since he loved IPPUDO'S ramen too!

Oh yeah! When it comes to IPPUDO, we're a FAMILY of RAMEN!

YUMMEHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I asked if I could order some IPPUDO gyozas and mareng Gail graciously agreed. I'm not sure if I was able to taste this though because as usual Mati zoinked my share. Ha ha ha ha ha!

Mareng Gail said it was my birthday week and IPPUDO gave me a free dessert! Yey!

There was also a promo that weekend where black bean ice cream is free for every order of their selected ramen!

Thank you so much mareng Gail for the birthday treat! Next year again!!!!!!!!!!! :)

More chika afterwards!!!

Always a fun time with Camp Campo!!!

Eeep! I was wearing the same dress the whole day na! Ha ha ha ha! #hulikabalbom

Part of my 40th BIRTHDAY celebration is to treat THE YAPPY BUNCH for a 5 day trip around Japan!

 It was initially my brother and sister's idea to take Andrei with them but then  I thought it would be better if we tagged along. 

And we did!

Like any normal girl, I love shopping and pampering myself (with food) from time to time. But I would really rather spend my hard earned money making memories for my whole family. I think it's a better investment because family trips would also be something that everyone in THE YAPPY BUNCH will enjoy.

Plus, giving the little lords a happy childhood is indeed priceless and I'm sure it's something that all parents indeed aspire for. 

Most definitely all mothers will agree that the family's happiness is their happiness as well!

EXCEPT when it's a night with THOR!

VAVAVOOM!

Kidding! 

He he he he he he he he! 

I think this is also the first time that my brothers and sister took a trip with our own families. It would have been more fun if my Mom and Dad were with us but we still had an unforgettable time nonetheless!

So yeah! This made turning 40 MORE memorable!!!!

For the past year, I know I may always make fun about my age, my lack of accomplishments, or even my state of being horizontally challenged. But really, when I review and look around me, I am so thankful that I have family and friends who, though we are far from perfect most of the time, are always there for me and give me the love and security that I would never get elsewhere.

 

 Of course, I will still aspire to work hard and accomplish my life goals. But right now at 40, I am so contented and thankful that I'm surrounded by people who make me feel alive with love.

If that is the case, then I'm not doing so bad at 40 right?

SO.

THERE.

BELATED HAPPY BOITHDAY to me!