June 7, 2008

When hubby moved into the home we are renting right now.  It looked like this…

So clean!  He signed the lease about a week before Abby and I arrived.  By the time we got here, we already had a living and a dining room set and 2 airbeds (queen-sized! hee hee!) and a 32-inch tv that we inherited from one of hubby’s Japanese friends.  Our shipping boxes didn’t arrive until June.  Bare as it was, we were happy nevertheless because our family was together again after 3 months of being apart.  Our house is so much more homey now.  If only we can fill it with the all too familiar sound of laughter and “home” that we’ve always been accustomed to.  In God’s time, that will all come to be.  I just know it.   Deep in my heart, I just know it.

The photo above was taken at the April 2008 Manila F.A.M.E, an international trade fair where Philippine made gifts and housewares are showcased .  This booth belongs to a company called Topmark Interiors and Novelties.  It’s a family owned company headed by….my Mom!  Hee hee.    We export these sculptures and furniture pieces to other countries, mostly to Europe.  Most of the pieces in the booth were designed by…ME!    No kidding.   I miss being at trade fairs.  Over the years, we’ve made a lot of friends who (like us!) make beautiful products using a wide variety of materials.  Name a material or a particular product and we’re bound to know someone who is into them: artifical plants, terra cotta, resin, teak furniture, glass, natural fiber, etc.  Philippine exporters are facing stiff competition with companies from other Asian countries and while we can hold our ground in terms of design, we simply can’t beat the prices they are offering buyers.  I hope and pray that the state of Philippine exports will take a turn for the better and that local manufacturers can ride out the storm it is in right now.  Here’s a shout out to our entrepreneurs back home…the best is yet to come so hang in there!

For Halloween last year, Abby at first thought she wanted to be Hannah Montana.  And the key to being Hannah Montana is a perfectly straight long blonde hair.  So one day in October, we drove off to Wal-Mart to buy a wig.  Well, the wig was only perfect for a few seconds.  That’s after we took it out of its packaging.  After a short while, the Hannah hair transformed into a witch’s hair, so much so that Abby ended up looking like this…

We had to rethink our halloween costume plans and went on an entirely different direction.  Nevertheless, Abby had fun with her wig and especially loved wearing it while Hannah Montana was on as you can see here…

May these pictures serve as a warning to those who tend to literally pull their hair when under a lot of stress, special office people who work too much and students in schools and universities (even online universities!) who study too much.  You don’t want your hair looking like this, do you?

I have angel hair pasta HERE, my other photo hunt entry.  Visit more photo hunters here.

Happy weekend, everyone!