Party Dresses For The Holidays

Oh dear!  It's the Holidays again.  I bet you all are getting busy decorating and putting up your Christmas trees.  Or, maybe you have done it already. :)  But you haven't done any decorating for the Holidays yet, well, better start now before you get swamped with party invitations.

Speaking of party invitations, my circle of friends have organized a Christmas party to be held next weekend.  I am excited because this is the first time I will be attending my friends' Christmas party.  Now I am shopping for a party dress and shoes to wear.  Stores have been very packed and crowded on Black Friday so I am just doing my shopping for cheap evening dresses online.  

www.dressfirst.com

What I was thinking to wear is this cute lovely A-Line/Princess V-Neck short dress.  I found this evening dress as I was browsing Fall collection of evening dresses 2013 on www.dressfirst.com.  I am not a tall lady so this style and length is just right.  I think it's so cute to wear to the Christmas Party.  I love it!  This comes in different colors too.  I am falling in love with this simple sexy elegant red dress.  It is also an A-Line/Princess V-Neck style, but a floor-length dress.  I bet my curvacious friend will drool on this one. :D

Now I know what style of dress I want, so better shop and buy the perfect shoes, too.

Don't wait until the last minute before you buy the perfect outfit.  Go to dressfirst.com and start shopping. :)

Thanksgiving Day 2013

We had a great Thanksgiving Day celebration with my husband's family.  We woke up early, got ready, and drove to our folks' so we can be there before the Thanksgiving dinner at 1:00 P.M.  We ordered breakfast to-go at McDonald's so DD, DH, and I had something to much on the road.

Everybody's busy at the folks' house.  When we arrived, the rest of the family were there already except my husband's sister because she was still at work.  We waited for her to arrive then we ate super delicious Thanksgiving feast.

My mother-in-law.  FIL and BIL at work with that turkey.

Kids having fun playing board games.

My favorite dirty rice.

Grown-ups were playing Mahjong.  I almost win it. 

We also had lots of pies-cherry pie, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and lemon squares.  They're so yummy!  I enjoyed the pumpkin pie and the lemon squares.  It was a wonderful Thanksgiving Day celebration as always.  My sister-in-law, her husband, her son, and me played Mahjong.  I haven't played in a while and I didn't know how they play it here in the US.  My MIL taught me and I was kind of getting it now.  

Our folks' lemon tree bears fruits and they ripen around Thanksgiving.

After playing outside, DD picked some leaves in the backyard and gave them to me.

Cute napkin.

How about you?  How's your Thanksgiving Day?

Wordless Wednesday: Here Comes Fall Season

My New Glass Top End Table

So in this online garage sale, I was able to find new furniture for my house.  To be specific, I bought a new end table for my living room.  Originally, I would have had a coffee table and an end table.  But I realized that my little one needs space to play in the living room and I don't want her to be bumping on the corners, I decided to just buy the end table for $30.  The seller was originally selling the set for $150, $100 for the coffee table and $50 for the end table.  They were both glass tops. I tried making offers.  And I also asked if she could sell separately hence I was only needing the end table.  I waited about three weeks for the deal to close because she was waiting for the other buyer's commitment to buy the coffee table.  Luckily, it turned out well. 
I was so happy !

So here's my new glass top end table.  I grabbed the opportunity to buy it because I like glass top furniture.  The glass is very thick and heavy. The base is made of solid wood in cherry finish which adds to the attraction (to me).  And furniture is still in excellent condition. 

My new glass top end table.

Leaking Or Frozen Pipes? Leave It To The Plumbing Experts

It's been a long time since me and my friend in Canada had a conversation online.  She got so very busy in her new job.  Plus, she moved to a new place closer to where she is working right now.  I am very happy that everything is going as planned regarding her being an immigrant in Canada and landing a good job that is related to her field of expertise.  She is also working on the petition papers for her son. We always have a fun conversation.  We reminisce the times as colleagues in a computer school.  The parties, gatherings, school events, and hanging outs were so precious moments. 

My friend mentioned that another reason she moved to a new house is to avoid too much stress about home maintenance and everything.  She found this new house she's renting now very nice and suited for her.  When she got a frozen pipe problem few months ago at her house, a plumber in Mississauga fixed the problem immediately.  On the other hand, we talked about the recent calamity done by the super typhoon in our province.  She told me her parents' house in her town got knocked down, too.  All utility services are not available as of the moment.  So tragic event.  We felt sad for a few moments during our talk.

Living without electricity is hard but living without water is one of the most difficult.  Plumbing services back home is badly needed there right now.  If we only have services like Mississauga plumbing, leaks and pipes problem will be resolved up front. We are very worried about our families back home.  All we can do right now is to do our very best to help and assist them with their needs.

I hope to see my friend soon.  Hopefully I can go to Canada or she can come over here to Texas.  Whichever works.

Wordless Wednesday: There Are Bugs In There!

Need Some Help In This Frustrating And Heartbreaking Situation

I was very glad and thankful that I was able to reach and have talked to my brother and sister after the super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit the island of Leyte.  I was very emotional because I got worried sick thinking about their situation.  After the typhoon, my brother visited my parents in Kananga the next day to see how's everybody doing in our town.  We were glad that they're okay but also saddened because my sister's and brother's houses were damaged.  All their belongings were damaged and wet.  She and her kids evacuated to my parents' apartment the day before the super typhoon made it's landfall.  According to them, it was a horrible experience and they thought it was the end of the world. There is no power and the communication went down immediately. 

Like everyone else who are severely affected by the super typhoon, my family is struggling as of the moment.  Our hometown was devastated, too.  The stalls and buildings in the market place were destroyed.  Prices of all the basic commodities went sky rocket!  Even the transportation rates got high that nobody can possibly afford to go to Ormoc City right away to get, at least, a cellphone signal to be able to be reached by a family or friend.  So frustrating that even relief goods haven't reached my hometown yet.  People are starving.

My circle of friends here where I live are helping us to gather donations for our families in Kananga.  Honestly, they need money to buy food, rice, canned goods, detergents, soap, toothpaste, sugar, salt, oil, gasoline, kerosene, water, tarpaulin, and small materials to do some repairs for their houses so they can have a place for shelter.  It will take time to rebuild their homes but at least, doing roofing and wall repairs can give them shelter from rain.  Food is scarce because grocery stores in my hometown haven't resumed yet. According to my brother, they have to fall in line at stores in Ormoc City that is selling rice, gas, kerosene, and groceries.  They haven't received any relief goods.  Very pitiful.

If you are reading this post, I would like to appeal to your kindness for a small monetary donation.  I am from Kananga, Leyte and our place was one of the severely devastated by the super typhoon Haiyan.  Please help me help my family.  My father got sick because of the situation.  I am not asking big.  A little help goes a long way.  You can email me at:  mgmarly@gmail.com for donations.  Thank you so much for your help.

Halloween Costume Party - Pirates

We attended a Halloween Costume Party on November 1st and this year it was held at a friend's house in Royse City, Texas.  Huge gathering like this one has to be held in a bigger house because of the big crowd.  

The Dainty Pirates

My darling daughter and I went to the party with rotisserie chicken.  We were in our pirate costumes.  I was able to come up with a costume theme this year.  I also volunteered to administer the games for kids. Oh the children had so much fun.  There's so many delicious food brought by the guests.  Of course, lots of picture-taking here and there.

I love those pancit.

cob web and spider

 My friend decorated her party room very well.  Cob webs, spiders, pumpkins, and witches were all over the room.  It was a spooky party room.  After the kids' games, we got the dancing started.  It was a great party!

Wordless Wednesday: Little Lady On The Leaf

Please Help!

This is the most horrible and damaging typhoon my country have ever encountered.  Super typhoon Haiyan (local name Yolanda) hit the Philippines and made its landfall Friday morning, November 8, 2013 which is Thursday night here in the US.  I was already aware of the coming super typhoon so I called my parents.  My mother told me that everyone's in the apartment including my younger sister and her kids.  My only brother and his family evacuated to his wife's aunt's house near a school.

That Friday morning I called my mother to double check.  She told me the winds and rains arrived and they saw roofs from neighbors' houses blown away.  I told them to be safe and pray and stay together.  After that I haven't heard from them up to now.  The whole province of Leyte is black out no power and the communication is down.  I am so worried sick.  

I saw news reports on television that were recorded earlier when the typhoon's landfall.  After that, black out!  News teams couldn't stream or broadcast information due to no electricity and telecommunication signals went down.  To those who were in the big cities like Tacloban and Ormoc and witnessed the devastation that morning, they were able to take photos and videos from their mobile phones and shared them to social networks.  After that, nothing followed.  No updates up to now.  

No news yet from my hometown Kananga.  Our neighborhood is located between a river and a hill.  My sister and her kids live there but they evacuated to my parent's apartment downtown.  I just couldn't imagine how our neighborhood and my hometown look like now.  So many people are homeless.  No electricity, no communication, no food, no clothing.  All I can think of now is look for a way to help my family, friends, and kababayans there, especially the young ones.

Right now they need food and clothing.  I am taking this opportunity my fellow bloggers, online friends...asking for your kind donations.  That would be highly appreciated.  No man is an island.  They need help.  Monetary or in kind...it's up to you.  It will help them start a new life.

My PayPal address is:  mgmarly@gmail.com

Mailing Address:  Mg Marly

                            6976 Meadow Ridge Cir.

                           Nevada, TX 75173

Thank you very much.  May God bless you a thousand folds. 

I Wish To Have A Garden Full Of Roses

Hello!  I hope you are doing well today.  We just came home from a visit to my MIL and FIL.  My darling daughter and I had a great time, as always.  DD enjoys being with her grandparents.  And she likes it when she spends the night with them and sleep in Na-na's guest room.

We visited our favorite attraction the Rose Garden in Tyler.  I forgot that the Rose Festival is held in October and I missed it.  The roses are in full blooms.  My little one couldn't get enough exploring.  She liked watching the fountain so much that she won't go anywhere else.  We also visited the area where my husband and I got married-the pavilion.  When we were at the Garden, I was imagining my own garden at home has full of different kids of roses.  Oh how fragrant my house would be.

Anyway, we finished our tour in town with a big lunch at Popeye's.