Ibyang
Ibyang

Ibyangram

December on Ibyangram

Ibyang + Instagram = Ibyangram

While my instagram photos are shared on my twitter page and sometimes on my tumblr and fb page, I would like to have a monthly dump of ibyangrams on AWCL too. It is thru instagram that I share everyday moments and random finds. I use instagram as my real time mini-blog. Every end of the month, I’ll be choosing a couple of photos from my instagram and share it here because I have something more to say about a certain ibyangram.

We had a sad start to December as we said goodbye to family living in America and the Philippines. There is that sudden silence when family reunions end. And the only way for things to go back to normal is to go back to the usual daily grind. The Husband and I went straight back to work and eased in slowly to our normal. December is always a festive time and it helped a lot in easing sadness we felt at the start of the month. Work has winded down but it is temporary. The last week of December, we focused on relaxing and getting ready for the new year. 

There’s more to my December than just Christmas celebrations and I’ve got my Ibyangrams to speak for it…

Goodbyes, even if temporary, are always painful especially when family is involved.

 New frozen yogurt place at Townhall Station. Their Taro Yogurt was delicious.

 Dried GREEN Mangoes. My newfound love.

 Happy find: HOP’s chocolate-covered Polvoron.

Hubby tried out the Sony lens for smartphones. No plans of buying it…yet.

New grand cru of Nespresso called “Cioccorosso”. A marriage of dark chocolate and fruit notes, sweet and refreshing. Pefect for Summer weather.

Jackie Ohh by Ray-Ban, a 1950s-inspired pair of sunnies. I find its cat-like tips very retro. I wrote about it here. 

Off to work in a pair of shorts. This was when we expected heatwave temps of 39-41 degrees.

Gifted myself with a little Bodum French Press so I can savour good coffee when at work. Thanks to my dear friend Xingkit for sending me a bag of UCC Blue Mountain Coffee. I love it!

My work area has a Christmas corner! Grateful for mates who visit me, have a bit of chitchat and a chance to say our Christmas greetings. 

My Lomo Fisheye Photos arrived two weeks after I sent it for developing. The romance of film photography is love.

 Snacking on Banana-Q, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, iced coffee and Caramel Sundae.

 My Lumix GF1 has a new baby sister…the Lumix GM1. 

Already loving what I’ve discovered about the Lumix GM1 with 12-32mm lens (in the first hour that I’ve played with it): it weighs 274 grams, height is shorter than an iPhone 5s (it’s sooo small & light), functions can be activated via touchscreen, has built-in Wi-Fi so photos can be sent to your phone, ISO goes up to 25,600 if in manual setting and the sensor has an auto shutter to protect from dust. 

Coco Cubano now open in Blacktown! Located at the 4th Level of Wespoint. Come here for great coffee and meals.

Oh what a gift it is to have good coffee with a great view of blue skies and sunshine.

Tiny chocolates on the side of our coffee makes our drinking experience a little more special.

My pretty goddaughter Madison. We bought her a cup of Babyccino so she can enjoy “having coffee” with us. She was very happy as she drank her pretend coffee drink.

Hello Kitty finds: ID Lanyard, pillbox and insole cushions.

They reminded me of Geishas in Japan so I bought these cards at a nearby shop. Such a cute find.

Gift from my Tita Cyn who knows that I love LeSportsac bags and floral patterns. She said this bag is “So you!” because the floral pattern looked like Cherry Blossoms.

Something fun for dinner: Chicken Sisig. Made a not-so fatty version by mincing chicken breast instead of pork.

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November on Ibyangram

Ibyang + Instagram = Ibyangram

While my instagram photos are shared on my twitter page and sometimes on my tumblr and fb page, I would like to have a monthly dump of ibyangrams on AWCL too. It is thru instagram that I share everyday moments and random finds. I use instagram as my real time mini-blog. Every end of the month, I’ll be choosing a couple of photos from my instagram and share it here because I have something more to say about a certain ibyangram.

Christmas came in early this year as November was filled with moments spent with family. The whole month, I made efforts to spend as much time with my Mom and relatives here in Sydney and from America. There were lots of going around Sydney, eating out, big and small get-togethers and we even sneaked out of Sydney to spend a day at the Hunter Valley. To have family living in different parts of the world is always a great exercise on being present in the now and being grateful for time spent with them. Time with family is the best Christmas gift we have received this year.

I’m sharing a few snippets of our time together in last month’s Ibyangram and a few other things that made up my November.

Mom’s first Spring visit in Sydney. I’m so happy that she finally saw the pretty Jacaranda Trees that I’ve always talked about! 

Christmas came early this year in the guise of my Mom. So as I have my first cup of my favourite Toffee Nut Latte, I’m spending it with her.

An IKEA breakfast spread. Treating Mom to cheap Swedish brekkie haha!

Wearing Spring hues on a gloomy, rainy day. Wickedly happy colours!

Inspired by Royce’ Potato Chip Chocolate, the Husband created his version only that his one was dipped in Dark Chocolate.

Pastry breakfast for three at the La Renaissance Cafe. 

Exploring Watsons Bay. A charming little beach where we had fish and chips for lunch.

An El Jannah dinner! We finally have an El Jannah branch near our place. It’s the best charcoal-grilled chicken in Sydney. 

Grateful for thoughtful friends. Received a package from one of my dearest friends from Manila and it included a “bling-ified” Snoopy charm that can be used as a chain for phones. I love it! It’s so pretty. 

Spectacular view of a vineyard in Hunter Valley. Our family spent the whole day tasting wines, eating cheese and having lunch and coffee at the Hunter Valley Gardens. Oh and we did a bit of shopping too.

Rewarding ourselves with Adriano Zumbo’s Macarons. Delicious flavours: Pandan Sticky Rice, Toasted Marshmallow, Salted Butter Popcorn, Apple Pie & Chocoron (the one with the smiling face).

Lovely day, lovely wedding. Our family witnessed the beautiful wedding of my cousin. Lots of happy smiles and touching moments.

Afternoon Tea at Max Brenner. Left work early so I can hang out with the family for afternoon tea.

Shared our love for Korean Food to the family. Went to Koreatown in Strathfield for a Korean BBQ Lunch at Won Jo and then ended up having coffee and Bingsu at My Sweet Memory Cafe.
Gold Coin for the Philippines. Our office held a fundraising morning tea for the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan. We served Brazo de Mercedes & Leche Flan Chiffon Cake (from a Filipino bakery) along with biscuits & cheese, brownies, chips & scones. I’m so grateful to everyone who participated.
My lomo cameras have been calling out to me lately so I bought 3 rolls of 36-exposure films. I already finished a roll of film and currently waiting for them to be developed.

Grateful for my November. Later on, after a few years perhaps, I will chance upon looking at these November Ibyangrams again and all I’ll feel will be appreciation and love.

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October on Ibyangram

Ibyang + Instagram = Ibyangram

While my instagram photos are shared on my twitter page and sometimes on my tumblr and fb page, I would like to have a monthly dump of ibyangrams on AWCL too. It is thru instagram that I share everyday moments and random finds. I use instagram as my real time mini-blog. Every end of the month, I’ll be choosing a couple of photos from my instagram and share it here because I have something more to say about a certain ibyangram.

My Ibyangrams are back!!! You probably thought I’d forget about my Ibyangrams for the month of October but I just won’t let that happen. The first week of November have quickly zoomed in BUT better late than never is what I say.

My October was hectic, challenging, fun and very happy. 

The start of October had me sick with tonsilitis and flu. Not a great combination, I tell you. It was a terrible time as I panicked that I won’t be well enough to prepare for my Mom’s arrival. But thankfully, the antibiotics kicked in soon enough. I got my affairs in order and our home ready for my Mom’s vacation.

Work has grown incredibly busy and it seems I will be running training programs until Christmas (!!!). I’m under a lot of pressure in getting all tasks accomplished but I’ve embraced the “hectic-ness” of it all and have decided to let go of things that irritate me and just focus on getting work done. 

Exciting times at the family front as my Mom arrived from Manila to vacation in Sydney for six weeks. She’s the first one to arrive from overseas as our clan will have a little reunion of sorts this month.


For the rest of how my October was like, here are some Ibyangrams which I hope you enjoy…


A Love Package From My Parents. Received so many gifts from the parentals which included lots of clothes from Uniqlo, rubber stamps and Lori Baltazar’s book entitled “Dessert Comes First“. 

Sunday Mornings. Having coffee with the Husband on the balcony of our home.
Tonsilitis and Flu Attack. Changing of seasons have to flu and inflammed tonsils. Doctor’s orders: lots of rest, fluid and drink my antibiotics on time. 

Better on Friday. Felt stronger by end of the week so after my doctor’s check-up, the Husband took me to our usual brunch place and shared a bagel. Grateful for the Husband who took a day-off so he can accompany to the doctor.

Picked up a few Pink Things right after that coffee and bagel. I found a cute iPhone case for only AUD$5.00, some washi tapes and a pretty pouch also for AUD$5.00.
A Small Pot of Kimchi Ramyeon for Two. Our default meal whenever we’re too lazy to cook lunch on a Saturday.
Our first Halo-Halo this warm season. After a heatwave-ish day, we can’t help but indulge in Halo-Halo, a Filipino dessert made of ice shavings, beans, jelly, sweet beans and leche flan (some add Ube and Ice Cream too). 
Appreciated. One of my trainees gifted me with a bouquet of Hyacinth flowers. They smell sweet and reminds me so much of the Philippines’ Sampaguita.

Orange Skies Due to Bushfires. The warm weather is indeed upon us. As temperatures soared between 33-38 degrees, certain parts of Australia are susceptible to bushfires. It’s devastating and scary. A thousand homes were affected and several families were displaced in evacuation centres. Not a happy time down under. 
The Sun, Fiery Pink. Still due to bushfires that resulted to haze which made the atmosphere looked smoky and deep Pink. The Sun looked and beautiful but it’s a reminder that things aren’t well for some. 
“Naiibang Manila. There’s No Place Like Home.” Is what this poster from Papemelroti says. I finally framed it! 
A Colourful Visitor. I heard a bird “singing” on the balcony and when I came out, I found a colourful bird resting on our balcony. It was kind enough to let me take its photo. 

Grandma and Her New Sewing Machine. This was one afternoon where she taught me how to cook “Ginataang Hipon at Kalabasa” afterwhich we helped her set up her new sewing machine. It’s looks so pretty. 

Justice Gundam. My cousin has a hug collection of Gundam robots and this pink one called Justice Gundam is my favourite from the lot.
My Mom’s here!!! 🙂 Happy times for me and our family.
UCC Coffee and HOP. Thoughtfulness in the guise of my favourite things, all thanks to my dear friend, Hazel. While I was aware that she will be sending over one of my favourite coffees in the world, I didn’t know that she’d also throw in a box of HOP (House of Polvoron) goodies. It was a yummy surprise that the Husband and I enjoyed and savoured. 
Patbingsu. Korea’s version of the Halo-Halo, only that their ingredients are made of ice shavings, red beans, cereal, little mochis and ice cream. My reward for going thru a 3-day work week where I squeezed in 5 days worth of workload. 

Hello there, classy-looking silver 5S! Ended my two-year 4S contract so I renewed and chose the iPhone 5S. It’s much faster, has better camera capabilities and the battery stays longer than my 4S. I’m happy with it. 

Royce Nama Au Lait and TWG’s Silver Moon Tea. Whenever my Mom comes here, she brings a few of our Royce favourites. These are two of my favourite indulgences and I’m glad I got to have them together, once in a while.
Sunset Watching. One Saturday afternoon when we hung out on the balcony and played with our fisheye lenses. 


That’s a little peek in my October. I will share some of my time spent with my Mom in a few blog posts soon. 

Now I can finally say…hello November!

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September on Ibyangram

Ibyang + Instagram = Ibyangram

While my instagram photos are shared on my twitter page and sometimes on my tumblr and fb page, I would like to have a monthly dump of ibyangrams on AWCL too. It is thru instagram that I share everyday moments and random finds. I use instagram as my real time mini-blog. Every end of the month, I’ll be choosing a couple of photos from my instagram and share it here because I have something more to say about a certain ibyangram.

September was such a busy month! But wow, it was one of our most productive yet. Work took so much of our time for the past weeks that even on weekends, we have committed our Sundays to a project we’re working on together. It also involved doing something for the community: voting on the national elections and being called for jury duty. September was a festive month too! We were blessed to quietly celebrate the Husband’s birthday and Mooncake Festival at home, plus spend time with friends whom we haven’t seen in ages. 

Sorry for the not-so-regular posts. I have days wherein the word “hectic” is an understatement. I face challenging tasks at work which sometimes result to long hours that whatever’s left of my night, I spend it doing important chores at home and de-stressing (either I walk on the treadmill or curl up in bed with a book). Blogging is still one of my favourite habits. I feel incomplete when I don’t get to sit down and write. Writing is one of my creative outlets and it’s something that I terribly miss when I never get to do it.  

Good news though, one of the things the Husband and I are busy with involves this blog too. We bought the domain www.awifescharmedlife.com a year ago and this year, we decided to do something about it. Hubby and I are currently designing the site and maybe finally launch it before the year ends. I hope you watch out for that because we are working very hard in making the design of www.awifescharmedlife.com as attractive and user-friendly as possible.
  
So that’s a little heads-up on what I’m up to. I have so much to write about, I hope you bear with some blog inactivity on some days. I hope these September Ibyangrams will help make up for days I never get to publish a blog post. Enjoy and I hope your September was fabulous too. Let’s welcome October with delight!

Having a drink on a Thursday. With the boss’ consent, we head to the pub for some Apple Cider after our department’s quarterly meeting. 

Early Voter. We had the national elections scheduled on the 7th September but in order to get the task out of the way and avoid the big crowd on election day, I went to a polling precinct on a weekday and voted early. During elections, voters are given an option to vote early, either by sending their vote via postal forms or going to a polling precinct two weeks prior to election.

Surronded by Love. It’s a gift when you feel loved when you’re with your best girlfriends. 

Jury Duty. This was a source of anxiety for me that clouded my mind for days. I was anxious because I don’t want to be picked as a jury due to work. I was anxious because it was my first experience to be called for jury duty; I have no idea what happens in court. On the day I came to court, I was nervous. Luckily, all cases that day pleaded guilty so we were all sent home. We have served our duty for the day and all we did was wait to be called. Although it never came to the point where I became a jury for a case, it was still an unforgettable experience.

Hubby’s Birthday Cakes.The Husband wanted a very quiet celebration and that’s what I tried to give him….and cakes! I gifted him with four cakes!  Michel’s Vanilla Sponge Cake, Max Brenner’s Chocolate Souffle, Adriano Zumbo’s Malt & Teaser Cake and of course Moon Cake! haha. 

Our first TV’s last night at home. We bought this reliable TV from a friend for only AUD$250.00 and it has served us well for the past four years. I was sentimental to let it go simply because it was our first TV. It’s presence in our home reminds us of how we began our married life together. 

The Smart TV is smarter than me. The old TV was replaced by a smart TV which left me in awe when I saw it. It’s huge, can record TV shows, has a 3D feature, has WI-FI so I can use apps in watching stuff on TV, connect to social media via apps, use it for Skpe, read blogs. I love it! 
I was once a cheerdancer. I got tagged in FB by a former mate in college to one of our cheerdancing photos so I shared it in instagram too. One of the best times of my life. Being an athlete taught me the value of discipline, teamwork, camaraderie and help others develop their potential. Most of all, I found friendships that lasted beyond the competitions we participated in.

Philippine Tourism Ad under Sydney’s blue skies. Always makes me smile when I chance upon these ads from the Philippines.

Seeing Something Pretty. Our first time to be at Ryde Park and I saw this pretty structure with the blue skies as backdrop. 

Yummy Desserts at My Goddaughters’ Parties. Kids parties are always fun even for the kids-at-heart like me. Such parties are a good excuse to indulge in delicious cakes. 

Tweethearts Reunion. Yup, it definitely felt like a reunion of sorts because we haven’t seen each other for a while. So happy to caught up with my lovely friends. 

Fancy Meeting Vera. Social media has definitely made the world smaller. Vera is one of my IG mates and it turned out we have a common friend in Sydney. We were introduced at my goddaughter’s party and I found out we lived in the same area. Yay! 🙂
The Husband and I. Sometimes we go home from an event with no photo of us! Most of the time, we’re busy taking photos during events that we never thought to have a photo together. We’re glad our friend was able to take a photo of us at a party we attended. 

My Peace Lily now has two flowers. And they blossomed in time for Spring!

Stop and smell the roses…even if busy. No matter how tired I may be when I go home from work, I take time to appreciate the little things that make the world pretty. Thank God for flowers!

Pine Trees by the beach. Early morning breakfast at Brighton-Le-Sands. Such a relaxing view.

Trees Make Me Happy. I love them! 

Sunshine on our Cuppas. Saturday morning, out on a beach with my favourite person in the world. 
Boiled eggs and sweet potatoes to get us thru an all-nighter. We had a working weekend on the last weekend of September. The Husband and I sometimes take in design projects that we do on top of our 9-5 jobs. It makes our life crazy sometimes but we enjoy it. Last Saturday, we had to work til wee hours of morning as we needed to present something to the client on Sunday. We pulled it thru and the client was happy with our efforts. Whew!
And that was September for us. It was an overwhelming month for us but we’re grateful for busy but rewarding days.

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August on Ibyangram

Ibyang + Instagram = Ibyangram

While my instagram photos are shared on my twitter page and sometimes on my tumblr and fb page, I would like to have a monthly dump of ibyangrams on AWCL too. It is thru instagram that I share everyday moments and random finds. I use instagram as my real time mini-blog. Every end of the month, I’ll be choosing a couple of photos from my instagram and share it here because I have something more to say about a certain ibyangram.

We had a great start to August as the Husband and I came out of our semi-hibernation. The weather temperature had gradually gone up and we had been blessed with nothing but good weather almost everyday. I have resumed my weekly de-cluttering sessions in different areas of our home. We’re working our way towards having the guest room as neat as possible in time for my Mother’s vacation in October. Although work has become more busy for both of us, I have squeezed in time and spent a day with girlfriends. Below are a few more things that made up my August.

Sunset at Petersham. Taken while I was inside the train on the way home. My train had a stop here and as I looked out the window, the light was just beautiful. Sydney’s golden hour is always lovely. 
Doing photography at home with the help of a step ladder. I sometimes wish I have a bit more height especially when I do photography. I’ve stepped on everything I could find whenever I do photography but at home this step ladder is so helpful to me.
Coconut Cupcake made and given by one of my workmates. I love her cupcake! It was so delicious. I’m not much of a baker but her cupcake was so good I asked for the recipe. Good luck na lang sa akin kung kelan ko yun magagawa haha. 
Fur Friday. I’ve owned this (faux)fur jacket (thanks to my aunt!) since I’ve lived here in Sydney. I love how it’s so warm and fuzzy. 
Self-serve Area of Nespress Boutique in Sydney. Shopping’s become easy for Nespresso Cardholders at the Nespresso Boutique! Just grab a bag and your choice of Nespresso grand crus and pay at the self-serve counters. 
The IKEA Food Hall. There’s the dining area, lounge area and they also have a kiddie area. They offer yummy and affordable food.
Our IKEA Brekkie. We got the regular breakfast but the Husband asked for some beans to be added to his. Then we each got dessert! His was some kind of pastry with peach and I had the Almond Butterscotch Pie. We like getting up early and start our day at IKEA because of the cheap brekkie and it’s easier to find a parking spot in the morning. 
The Little Moon Over A Lovely Sunset. Sydney’s gorgeous sunsets are endless. What a blessing to come home to this. I’m so grateful!
Bejeweled Dessert Spoon From Korea. One of my many pretty finds from Seoul. Makes my coffee a little more dainty. 
Another Lovely Dessert Spoon. Here’s the second design I got. They’re common in Seoul so it’s really easy to find them. 
MUJI Nail Files. I love them! While using them one night, I realized my nail thingy storage all matched! They’re Pink!
I saw this when I was WAITING for my train. I like it whenever I see the ads of the Philippines’ Tourism Department. 
French Toast Brekkie on a Thursday Morning. I’ve got a day-off that day but I was getting ready to go out. To start a little calm on my day-off, I prepared a proper breakfast so I can sit down and savour my quiet time.
A Haircut After Four Months! Finally found the time to visit my Korean hairstylist. She brought back my bangs and layers. It felt so good to be taken cared of (yes that’s how my hairstylist makes me feel). Made me feel human again.
Cherry Blossoms! Ahhhhh love is seeing cherry blossom flowers. I’m in love with them. I squeal in delight whenever I see them. More cherry blossom photos on my next blog entry.
My New Reading Partner. Thanks to the Husband for being my “fairy gadget father” for gifting me with my first e-book reader. I thought long and hard about having one and this year I’ve decided to go back to my love for reading books. Sure I have a table that I use for reading e-books but it’s not as user-friendly as I hoped it to be. 
Sushi Plate To Share with Husband. On days when we don’t feel like cooking or don’t have time to cook, we resolve to buying Sushi and eat at home. Rule of thumb though is to still sit on the table no matter what meal we eat. No eating on the sofa even if we’re eating take away food.
On the last week of August, my boss gave me a bunch of Pink Tulips. It was a gift for the work I’ve done for the past few weeks. My work has tripled since the start of August due to the high demand for the training program I manage. I’ve weathered challenging days and I look forward to a busier September and October. The thought that my work is appreciated makes it all worth it.

Just-because Gifts From the Husband. No special occasions this month but the generous Husband spoilt me with a two needs and a want: kindle, pink macbook sleeve and a tote bag.

Coffee “Me” Time. Last Friday of the month and I couldn’t be happier ending my afternoon with some downtime. A cuppa, two macarons and an e-book kept me company for more than an hour. It was the perfect quiet celebration I needed. 
That was a few snapshots of the month that passed. Hope you had a lovely month of August too!

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