Patingin-tingin

di naman makabili.
Haaay...isang malaking buntong hininga.
Why too soon?? That was my reaction when we saw the for sale sign the other night. We always eye for this house and wish that if ever this one is to be sold, we will buy it! Oh well, wishful thinking lang naman hehe. To our curiosity (how does it look inside), Cesar and I went to the scheduled inspection. You could hear our "wows", "pwede" as we walk and inspect the every part of the house. Before we left, super tanong si mister sa agent about the processing, as if we are potential buyers haha! I felt frustrated when we got home though. You know the feeling of you have always hoped for this very thing and there's an opportunity to be yours and yet there's the big BUT. We are not ready to be home owners just yet. If only we'd win the lottery, this will solved our finances.
Why do we like this property? The location is very good. It is a corner lot and it is near the shops, train station, schools, child care, and 30-minute drive to the city. The interior is also superb. It has 3 bedrooms (the master bedroom has an en suite and a walk-in closet), another toilet and powder room. All rooms are located at the ground floor and the kitchen, the big open living and dining area are at first floor. This is because you can see from upstairs the view of the city skyline.
*Sigh*
I was thinking of this until evening. I find peace and contentment when I prayed. I trust His timing. The house is not for us. The best is yet to come..Sometimes, when I want to have something, I envy other people's blessings and forget to count mine. God wants to correct this corrupt attitude. He is teaching me to trust Him more. In His time, He will bless us with a lovely house. So while waiting, we will be good stewards and be contented of what we have.

Lunes: Ampalaya con carne at daing na bangus

I am a housewife! Yes!! I have written down the menu for the week and yesterday was a success. Yey!! Thank God He has given me a husband who appreciates and likes all the food that I cook (wala naman kasi syang choice haha!) And thank you Mama for your handwritten recipes. Sobrang helpful!

It's month end! Kaya I make sure dinner is ready
when hubby gets home. Pampawala ng pagod :)
Kainan na!

Home Sweet Home

For two days, we have finished unpacking all our stuff. We were actually surprised that we did it for only two days (except the backyard). Among the houses that we've inspected, this was our first choice :-) We are so thankful that our application was approved. Though some of the furnitures were damaged, all in all, the move was less stressful than what we have expected.

My kitchen rules! :) Green it is! My fave :)

The hardworking husband :) Good job dy!

Melbourne, the place to be!

Awwww!! At last! I am on sick leave today due to dysmenorrhea and headache. So I am just home, getting some rest and yeah yipeee!! this is my chance to update my blog. Ang dami kong utang na kwento! Waaah!!!

Ok, let's start with the most recent one and I am too much excited about this. New year, new place. We're moving to Melbourne!! Wohooo!! Believe it or not, I like it more there than Sydney. I had this moment while traveling to City and then going back to the airport, there's this "I am home" feeling. I don't know why. It's the atmosphere perhaps? It's true, pampamilya ang Melbourne (or feeling ko lang?! hehe). Basta nagustuhan ko ang Melby ;-)

Last week, we flew to Melb to watch the Australian Open and stroll around the City. Well, that was the original plan four months ago before the announcement. It was in October when they announced that Finance will move to the main office in Melbourne. The idea of moving out was not clear then. We have prayed for this, if it is God's will for us to live to another state. Life is already comfortable in Sydney, we have frienda and spiritual family. But then, His plan is getting more clear each day as the date of the transfer is approaching. Since November, we heard about the "do not be afraid", "be courageous", "getting out of your comfort zone" messages. God is even sending people to be our contact in Melbourne, He is providing the resources. It's definite, that He is preparing us and making a way for the transfer.

Change of plan. For three days, we did the house inspection, watched tennis, and met the families who are our soon-to-be fellow Melburnians. Here are the photos of the houses that we viewed last Saturday and Monday. Sana ma-approve ang aming application :-)

House #1

House #2

House #3

House #4

Snapshots of the AU open and our side trips to the Dela Cruz, Montana and Caina family. Thank you for welcoming and accommodating us. See you again soon!

konting practice pa dy sa pagbuhat ;-)

serena williams and roger federer sa background :-)

hisense arena

sydney friends

with kuya matthew

ganda ng bahay nila myla

with the Montana family

with the Caina family

family picture ahihi

Simulan na!!

ang pasko sa pilipinas!! simula na rin ng pag-decorate ng bahay ;-) ano kaya magandang ayos ngayon?

2008 pictures (taken from my camera phone)

The storehouse principle

pastor dennis' testimony clearly explains this bible principle..his family was planning to buy a second car. they opened a bank account and define it as their storehouse for the car. every month they put aside 500 to 1000 pesos and deposit it to the account. they are praying to God and believing that he will open the floodgates of heaven and will bless the storehouse. after how many months, they have 12k in the bank and this is not enough to buy even a second hand vehicle. yes, it may seem impossible, but with God, everything is possible. weeks have passed..until one day, the lord have blessed the storehouse. someone offered them a car in exchange of their toyota vios. truly, his promises are true. now, though it is not a second car, but they were blessed with a new toyota fortuner. (wow!)

cesar and i would like to apply the storehouse principle into our lives. to start with, we are planning to make a storehouse for our home. we'll hold on to these promises:

The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. (Deuteronomy 28:12)


Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. (Malachi 3:10)

last month, cesar saw a newly built townhouse that is for lease. together, we browse the internet to see the details. when i saw the photos and found out that the location is good (it is near the train station), it made me feel excited. of course the price is not good (ang sakit sa bangs! hehe). at that moment, i have prayed and believed. i am posting the photos here. this may not be exactly the house that God will bless us, but by looking at these, it will remind me that he is faithful to fulfil his promises. who knows, perhaps, someday, when he bless the storehouse, this home will be ours or better yet it is bigger than what we desire :-)
 

front yard

lounge

view of dining area and lounge

dining area

kitchen

backyard

rest room (1)

room 1 (not sure which is the master bedroom)

rest room (2)

room 2

wow! we are already claiming it in his name. it is also our prayer that our home will become a house of blessing.

Best Buys

mr green archer and mr blue eagle ;-) ganito ang water bottles sa oz. in fairness, hindi ito sa ikea binili hehe

mr whirlpool's new homey. hubby bought this at a very reasonable and low price. thank God for ate tess! may free wine glasses pa! :-)

whoa! ang organized ng asawa ko ah!! the computer desk and the cabinet are also from ate tess' bargain items. how about my starbucks city mugs? dapat meron din lalagyan hehe

thank you tatay for the blessings and for the provision!

Happiness

myla's sister and family will be migrating to the US and so they bargain all the home appliances, furniture and other stuff even their two cars (a bmw and a merc) for 30,000 aud each. that is a good deal! well, neither of the cars is my new toy by the way (hehe). cesar sent me the price list and wooooo the markdown is more than 50% on almost everything and mind you they are of good quality. since it is a once-in-a-lifetime-super-sale-opportunity, and we are newlyweds who's starting up a home, my husband bought everything (haha! just kidding!), i mean some (necessary) kitchen appliances and fittings. and yey!! we already have a fridge, microwave oven, griller, heater, nice carpet, two foot rest :), magazine rack, computer desk, and ahmmmm..what else dy? did i miss anything? and of course my happiness :) i will call her dana (so i will always remember jen and her sweet-like-cupcakes friendship).

(not the actual photo) this is dana, my first snow-whitey mixer :)

plus!! a set of clear pyrex mixing bowl

 

oh i love it! really..cesar is the sweetest. superman knows how to make his lois lane feel loved and delighted.

i don't know but..just recently, baking makes me feel good and i feel that i am good at it :) i get more and more interested on this new leisure pursuit. and for me it is more than that, it is a new discovery of myself..it also put in new initiatives like 1. aside from cooking, i'll bake for hubby to make his every weekend extra special, 2. for special events, i'll share my colorful artistically made cupcakes, and 3. a business venture. yeah, a business venture; well, it will probably be a bakeshop or a coffee shop (oh wow!! i am dreaming!! haha!). but who knows?! every business success stories always begin with a desire. as joel osteen said "you cannot give birth to something you have not first conceived."

next weekend is the start of pursuing this liking. jen and i will have a baking 101 at their home. just last week, she took a day off to attend a cupcake frosting class. to have an idea, here's a photo of the finished products.

i'm excited!! and i am looking forward to my bonding with dana. it will be my pleasure to bring big sweet smiles on cesar's face and to everyone who will taste lala and dana's homemade baked-with-love cakes :)

Living room

along with myla and leigh, cesar saw this set on sale in a store that is near their office. pwede :-)

i bring my imagination to our future living room. shade of green, cozy, lamps, books, relaxing mood and ahmm, something that looks like this --

home sweet home.