TOPAZ HORIZON

William and Kate, er, excuse me, Catherine, are getting married in a little over 2 weeks and if you want to know their love story, there are a ton of books and magazine articles (such as the December, January, February, March and April issues of OK! Philippines! Grab your copy now!) out there detailing it. Or you can just watch this:

I can't believe they couldn't find actors who looked like William and Catherine. Seriously. And that part where Kate storms out when she sees William hugging another girl and the scene where she and William have a near shouting match out in the halls of St. Andrews for all the school to see? Sounds very improbable. Still! I'd drop everything to watch this!

Last Thursday, I had dinner at Nikki and Bern's townhouse. They threw an intimate party for our friend Nicole. I didn't realize it was that intimate, though! It was just Nikki, Bern, me, Nic and Nic's friend Tata.

Nicole and I love milk tea!

On a diet, Nikki gets "upset" at dessert: profiteroles!

Tired me with Bern and Nikki

We talked about a lot of things and so ended up going home past midnight.

Nic and Nikki, still pretty at midnight!

Nic's been hanging out a lot with Tata.

I can't tell you what we talked about so I'll just show you our shoes!

Nikki. Everyone should have yellow shoes!

Nic's Aldo nude pumps are a classic.

My two-tone Sapato Manila heels

Tata's sandals

What shoes are you wearing today? Me? As in, today today? I'm wearing Janilyn flats!

On April 18, Vince and I will be celebrating 4 years of marriage and 12 years of ridiculous happiness. I met him on April 5, 1999, on a bus filled with writers. Little did I know that the boy with the hangover and the messy long hair would become my husband and the father of my child.

Vince said he knew instantly that I was The One. Within a week of meeting, he and I had shared the most intense conversations. He wrote me poems, serenaded me, gave me chocolates and, because I am not one to waste time, I rewarded him with a kiss on April 18, just 13 days after meeting. Best. Kiss. Ever! Kissing Vince for the first time was beyond strange because that kiss felt like a life-changer, like I had been waiting all my life for that one kiss. In fairy tale parlance, it was true love's first kiss.

On Monday, it'll be 12 years of kissing. We still like kissing. We kiss so much, Vito wants to join in. He looks at his parents kissing and makes smacking sounds himself!

Twelve years. It certainly doesn't feel like 12 years. Well, I feel older now, calmer, wiser. My cellulite and fine wrinkles, my exhaustion after a long day all point out that I am definitely getting old. But when Vince kisses me, I am transformed back to that 22-year-old girl who never dreamed she'd find love but found it anyway when she least expected it. His kisses (and everything that follows the kiss!) keep me young and well and truly in love.

So Vince ordered the Cambridge Satchel from chocolate schu bar for me. It was his Valentine's Day gift. I was over the moon, I tell ya! schu told us to expect the shipment by March but delays in shipping do happen--I know this because I shop online a lot so I didn't mind at all.

And then, last Friday evening, Ruby of schu DM'd me on Twitter:

I was sooo excited! I kept Tweeting my excitement!

However, I had to wait till today before we finally picked up my new bag. Apparently, I am patient after all!

Vince gives me the best gifts--Vito being the bestest!

Unwrapping!

Et voila!

Sunshine!

I love it!!! Will post a detailed bag feature on Beauty For A Living soon! Sigh. Happy Valentine's Day! Thanks, Vince!

I promised to do a regular "A day in the life" post but I'm telling you that not one day is the same for me. That should make that kind of post fun and easy to do, right? But no. I'm exhausted just thinking about it! When I tried doing it, I couldn't decide on whether I should take photos of these: breakfast, lunch, dinner, meetings, where I am, who I'm talking to, etc. It just seemed too trivial. As in, do my readers even want to know this??? So I'll do a "A day in the life" post maybe every other month or so. That's still regular, ya know!

For our first ever "A day in the life" post, let's take on April 7, 2011. Here's what happened on that exceptionally busy day:

I love breastfeeding Vito!

I always start my day very early. Vito wakes up between 5:30am to 6am. He climbs all over Vince and me, either slapping or shrieking us awake. We play for about half an hour then I breastfeed him before he has his breakfast at 7.

After Vito has breakfast, his yaya takes him to the playground. Sometimes, I prepare Vince's packed lunch. Most times, I go back to sleep. Then Vince and I have breakfast. Vito comes back at around 9, just in time to say "bah-bah" to his "pah-pah-pah." Usually, Vito has a bath then he breastfeeds again and sleeps. Then I shower and prepare to go, usually after I've had lunch at 11:30am.

Zara dress, Sapato Manila shoes

That Thursday, however, I had a brunch event so Vito also said "bah-bah" to "mama-mama." Heartbreak! Especially since I knew I was going to be home very late that day. Sigh.

La Mer event was at Robot Lounge

My first event was the launch of La Mer Whitening Essence Intense. Will write about that in my beauty blog soon. I had a lovely time seeing La Mer's Ina Casas. I love her! I also had a serious chat with Preview's Pauline Juan. But I can't reveal what we talked about.

Then off I went to the office for the monthly publishers' meeting. That was an exciting meeting since we all talked about the biggest ever issue of the magazine I edit--the royal wedding issue coming out in May!!!

Then off I left for a meeting with Just Jewels at Glorietta 4. No photos either! Suffice it to say I had a very productive meeting with the jeweler and I'm so excited about working with them (and, personally, adding more pieces to my jewelry box!).

Just across the Just Jewels shop is Cole Haan. I fell in love with two bags:

Heritage Weave Hadley Messenger in Cashew

Vintage Valise Claire Mini Satchel in Woodbury

Cole Haan offers credit card holders a crazy 3-month, 0% installment plan on anything and everything! I seriously was tempted to swipe away! But I'm saving up for a fantastic anniversary gift for Vince. So Cole Haan bags, please wait for me!

I look so tired!

Then I walked to SM Makati for the opening of Forever 21. Wrote about that on Beauty For A Living. I had to pass by Watsons first to buy these amazing band-aids because all that walking in heels caused a painful abrasion at the top of my heel.

Stringy-haired me with the lovely couple

I ended the day with dinner at Bern and Nikki's. She threw an intimate party for our friend Nicole and we ended up going home very late. Stupid me didn't bring my breast pump so I was going insane with pain from my milk-swollen chest (remember I last fed Vito at 7am!). So I stumbled home, dead tired and in serious pain, but I had to express the milk first. After filling up two bottles, I finally crept into bed, snuggled against my husband and my little boy (who helped drain more milk), and... Nope, I was so exhausted and in pain, I couldn't fall asleep!

And that was my day! Whew. Goodness me. What a long post! And that's why I don't think I can do this kinda post often!

If you really want to know how I go about my daily life, follow my Tweets!

Cole Haan bag photos from their website.