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Raising a family, making a home.

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On Dating Your Spouse

July 19, 2013 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 6 Comments

Years ago when MrC and I discovered that we were pregnant, a few of our wise, old(er) friends told us that we should always remember to set aside time for ourselves as a couple. Back then the advice didn’t make much sense. I mean, of course we would continue to spend time together. Besides, having a kid with us would make things a lot more fun. And what could possibly get in the way of our couple time, especially since we would be living together already. That would mean more time for us right?

At our high school reunion in 2011. Just like old times, only newly married.
At our high school reunion in 2011. Just like old times, only newly married.

More high school reunion photos here.

Welcome to reality, young and naive self! I have admittedly swallowed all of those words and thoughts I had back then. And believe me when I tell you that it was really tough coming to terms with the reality that living together, being married and having a family does not automatically equate to more quality time together as a couple. Man, this marriage thing really takes work! The difference between today and, say, a year or two ago is that I now choose to accept things and swallow my naive ideas with a nice cold root beer float (or cold beer maybe, on some days hehe). I’ve decided to charge everything to experience, and let go of the negative, hurtful, disappointing “learning hurdles” that led up to this level of relationship maturity that we now have. It’s not easy, but it’s for the best. It’s time for us to move forward.

One very important element of our relationship therapy is our return to dating. Each other, ha, not other people! Hahaha! We set aside time to go and eat out in between errands while the kiddo is at school or out doing something with his grandparents. We watch movies at home late at night and even make popcorn and iced tea to snack on. We read over coffee when we have time to spare. Sometimes, we even choose to read the same books at the same time and then we talk about the chapters and characters that we like and dislike as we progress. We listen to music together. We dance in the kitchen early in the morning when no one else is awake. Note that this is not romantic, it’s comedic. Like Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion. We find time and we make an effort a million times more now than we did 1-, 2-, even 5- years ago. And in the process, we’ve learned to enjoy being together again, just the two of us, when we can get that chance.

Date night right at The Bellevue before my birthday in 2012.
Date night at The Bellevue before my birthday in 2012.

Read about our Bellevue buffet night here.

Now I understand how much that little bit of wisdom meant. It took years and unimaginable experiences for us to realize its essence, and now that we have, things are better. Life is better. We even fight with a purpose now, and that is to understand each other. Believe me when I tell you that we used to fight just to fight. If you’re married, you probably know what I mean.

So mommies, go and date your husbands. And daddies, go date your wives. I’m sure lolo and lola wouldn’t mind having the kid/s over for a night or even just an afternoon. I promise you, you will be so glad that you took the time and made the extra effort.

After mass dinner date at Con Gusto in Molito
After mass date night at Con Gusto in Molito a few months ago

More on our Con Gusto dinner date here.

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Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: Dating, Love, Relationships, Spouse

Need A Driver? This Giveaway Is For You!

July 18, 2013 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 22 Comments

A few weeks ago, I wrote an entry about how I would totally love to have a driver on hectic days. I mentioned at the end of that post that if a lot of my friends and readers say that they too would benefit from having a driver, maybe Dial A Driver would grant their wishes. Guess what? I was right!

Dial A Driver is a registered service company that provides polite, honest and skilled chauffeurs to drive you in your car on a need basis. Clients pay for a driver only when they need one.

This business is owned by my friends Tracey Gonzales and Jal delas Llagas, and friendship aside, I honestly think that it’s a great idea. I’ve dialed a driver myself, and believe me when I tell you that it makes life more convenient. It is important to note though that Dial A Driver provides drivers, not vehicles. So basically, their driver will drive your car. Don’t worry, these are professional, highly experienced drivers.

Driving is such a chore.

I do have a very helpful husband who agrees to drive for me on days when I feel lazy, or when I’m unfamiliar with the place I’m going to, but we also have a son who goes to school, has homework and needs to sleep early at night so he can wake up early for class. We also do not have a yaya (nanny), so either MrC or I need to act as yaya and tutor on school days. That means that on weekday dinner meetings or events, I’m basically on my own.

Thing is I don’t like to drive at night. My eyesight is not that good, plus I was diagnosed with a limited peripheral vision. It’s hard enough driving, navigating and parking in the morning with the crazy nuts and overly aggressive drivers out there. Night driving outside Alabang, unless it’s an emergency, is out of the question. So for weekday dinner meetings when I don’t have MrC, like our Manila Workshops team meeting last night, I’m glad that I have Dial A Driver.

Here are five ways they make life easy for me:

1. No need to worry about getting lost.
My driver of choice, Kuya Jing, told me that he and his co-drivers are familiar with almost all major thoroughfares in Manila, and even certain parts of North and South Luzon. He joked, “Wag lang sa Visayas at Mindanao, hindi pa namin na-try doon” (Just don’t have us drive you to Visayas or Mindanao. We’ve not gone that far yet).

Kuya Jing, Instagrammed!
Kuya Jing, Instagrammed!

I’m used to being the navigator while MrC drives, but I can’t multitask while I’m driving. So whenever I’m on my own, I tend to get lost, miss turns, get disoriented and end up frustrated. Having someone who is familiar with the places you need to go really takes a load off your shoulders, trust me.

2. No need to worry about parking.
There are just places in this world where parking is a problem. BGC is one of them. The Makati Business District is another. Plus, ever since MrC told me that there’s a Facebook group that shares photos of bad parking jobs, I’ve become extra conscious about how I position my car. That means that parking, which already takes me a few minutes to do, takes even longer. Not good when I’m in a rush. Extra bad when it’s raining!

Forever full parking at BGC
Forever full parking at BGC

My one concern at first with Dial A Driver was that I super hate it when drivers hang out inside the car while waiting for their bosses to finish whatever errand or business they’re doing. Tracey made it clear that this is against their company policy, mainly because having drivers hang out in cars makes the vehicle more prone to car-napping. I did not know that! It’s a good tip actually, and you guys who have drivers should take note of this too. After Kuya Jing parks, he usually hangs around the drivers’ area or somewhere near my car so that he can keep an eye on it. I like that. It gives me a sense of security.

3. No need to worry about traffic.
Isn’t the traffic in Manila such a time waster? Instead of sitting in the car, clutching my steering wheel in frustration, I’d rather sit in the passenger seat and type away on my BlackBerry. I love answering emails on my phone, and my friend Toni of Wifely Steps can attest to that! As a WAHM, one thing I had to learn to do is work on the go, and I can definitely do that when someone drives for me. I don’t do this when MrC is at the wheel though, coz he doesn’t like it. I agree that it’s kind of rude, and of course I’d rather spend our travel time talking and dancing to songs on the radio! But Kuya Jing doesn’t seem to mind when I quietly click away on my phone while he worries about navigating through yucky traffic, so yay!

President's Ave traffic, Instagrammed!
President’s Ave traffic, Instagrammed!
SM Aura traffic, Instagrammed!
SM Aura traffic, Instagrammed!

4. No need to stress over multiple stops.
Yesterday, I went to get gas, then made a quick trip to the bank. After that, I went to Ace Print Master to pick up some things I had printed. Then I was off to BGC. Normally, I’d choose to go to only one place at a time because, like I said earlier, parking and traffic both suck. But this isn’t a concern when you have a driver.

The first of several stops. Ah, errands!
Just one of several stops. Ah, errands!

5. It actually saves time. And time is GOLD!
If you’re with someone who is familiar with the roads, you won’t get lost. And then you don’t need to worry about parking. And the best part is you get dropped off right at your destination. That actually buys you extra time, if you think about it. In my case yesterday, it bought me 45 extra minutes, which I spent leisurely sipping Almond Milk Tea at Saints Alp. Super yum. You should try it!

Me-time, Instagrammed!
Me-time, Instagrammed!

So, are you guys sold? I hope so.

Giveaway time! MrsC’s Sugarcoated Life and Dial A Driver are giving away free driver hours to 4 lucky blog readers! Yay!!! 

Two winners will win 6-hour Driver Service GC’s, and two winners will get 12-hour GC’s. Here’s how to join

To qualify for the 6-hour GC raffle, you have to accomplish the the following mandatories on the Rafflecopter widget below:

  • Like Dial A Driver Manila on Facebook
  • Follow @DialADriverPH on Twitter
  • Leave a comment and tell me why you need D.A.D. Please include your full name and email address so I know how to reach you.
  • Like MrsC’s Sugarcoated Life on Facebook
  • Follow @MrsPCuyugan on Twitter

Once you’re done with the mandatories, you can earn bonus points when you:

  • Post about the giveaway on Facebook. Use this message, and don’t forget to tag! “Would you like to have a driver for a day? Join @MrsC’s Sugarcoated Life and @Dial A Driver Manila’s giveaway at https://blissbysam.com/?p=2372”
  • Tweet about the giveaway. Use this tweet, and again, don’t forget to tag! “Would you like to have a driver for a day? Join @MrsPCuyugan and @DialADriverPH’s giveaway at https://blissbysam.com/?p=2372”

You earn 50 raffle entries when you do all that!

Now, if you want to qualify for the 12-hour GC prize, you need to do one extra step.

Write a blog post or a Facebook Note about your most memorable driver-less experience. It can be a scary story, a funny one, and angry one or a sad one. We will choose the two most unique and interesting stories to win the prize. If you do write a post, don’t forget to indicate that it is an official entry to this giveaway. And please enter your URL in the Rafflecopter widget too. Bonus: accomplishing this step earns you 10 additional raffle points! Exciting!

UPDATE: We will pick the best two comments to be the winners of the 12-hour GC prize. Woohoo! 🙂

Fine print: The giveaway will run from July 18 to August 1, 2013. The GC prizes are valid for Metro Manila trips only. Prior booking with D.A.D. is required when you decide to use your GC. Winners will be contacted by Tracey or Jal after the contest for redemption of prizes.  A person can only win once. Winners will be announced on August 5.

So, are you ready to win? Go!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck everybody! We’re excited to read your stories!

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Filed Under: Everything Else Tagged With: Dial A Driver Manila

I Killed My Blog

July 17, 2013 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 16 Comments

No, actually, I killed my child theme. This is what I get for trying to edit my child theme on my own, DIY style, trial by fire. Yes, I was smart enough to back up my original stylesheet, but that was a while back and I cannot find the file on my already too full computer. Grrrrr!

This must be a sign that it’s time to have my blog design done already. And in the meantime while my blog is plain and boring and not very pink, I will actually be able to assess things and figure out what I want to put in it. Makes sense, yes?

So kids, before you mess with your HTML/CSS/back-end stuff, make sure you super super know what you’re doing. I super know what I’m doing, but not super, SUPER, and so there you go. That’s my kwento (story) for today.

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Filed Under: Everything Else

Baon Plan #3 Plus a Recipe for Italian Meatballs

July 16, 2013 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

I’m back with another baon  plan, and this time I’m armed with more photos! Woohoo! So far I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback about the lunchbox meal plans I’ve been sharing, and because of this I really want to make an effort for this to become a regular thing on this blog. So thank you to you guys who actually read and comment and tell me that you like my food ideas. It means a lot, specially since I really am a newbie at this.

Okay, here’s what was on the baon menu on our third week of school, July week 1.

Monday Recess
Monday Recess

MONDAY
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Snack: Cereal and yogurt
Lunch: Pork adobo  (the one that I marinated and froze)

Baon-1
Let this baggie thaw in the refrigerator overnight
Baon-2
Pick out the cloves of garlic coz you’ll wanna brown these in oil first before you throw everything else into the pot.
Baon-3
Once the garlic has browned nicely, brown the meat then throw in the sauce and everything else that’s in the baggie and boil until the sauce is nice and thick.

TUESDAY
Breakfast: Cereal and milk
Snack: Cheese muffin and peanut butter oatmeal bar (Recipe here. Made from Monday’s leftover cooked oats.)
Lunch: Chicken fingers

Cheesy Chicken Fingers from the Magnolia Chicken Station
Cheesy Chicken Fingers from the Magnolia Chicken Station
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bar fresh from the oven
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bar fresh from the oven

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: Ham & cheese sandwich
Snack: Peanut butter oatmeal bar and banana
Lunch: Beef tapa and scrambled egg

Got this Beef Tapa recipe from my cousin
Got this Beef Tapa recipe from my cousin

THURSDAY
Breakfast: Pancakes
Snack: Cereal and yogurt
Lunch: Minute steak and garlic butter sayote

My mom made the minute steak, I cooked the sayote
My mom made the minute steak, I cooked the sayote

FRIDAY
Breakfast: Grilled PB&J
Snack: Cheese muffin and cracker sandwich
Lunch: Italian meatballs (Recipe here)

Baon-11
Served with ketchup
Baon-9
I’d never made meatballs before, and it was much easier than I thought it would be. You just dump everything into a bowl and mix well.
Baon-10
Then you shape everything into little balls and bake or fry. This is 1kg worth of beef meatballs.

I still have one container of meatballs in the freezer and I’m going to add them to my spaghetti sauce one of these days. Yum!

Week 3! Print me!
Week 3!
Print me!

Next week’s meal plan is interesting because it’s from the week that I was sick. Half the time it was MrC doing the early morning cooking, so that next meal plan is something that anyone can do.

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Baon Plan, cooking, Lunch Box Ideas, Meal Plan, Packed Lunch, Recess, School Lunch

Faith.

July 15, 2013 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 8 Comments

Filed Under: Everything Else Tagged With: Faith, Quote

Kiddo Conversations: On The Little Mermaid

July 13, 2013 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

Because I’m still sick and stuck in bed, I’ve attempted to take control of the TV remote.

Mommy: Look, Babe, it’s The Little Mermaid! This is nice! Have you seen this?

Kiddo: …

M: Let’s watch this okay?

K: I saw this already. I don’t really wanna watch this.

M: Why not?

K: Secret.

M: I want to know why.

K: Coz it’s for girls.

M: No it’s not! It’s nice!

The Little Mermaid on Disney Channel!

We watch for a bit and get to the part where flounder and Ariel are looking around in the sunken ship and Flounder gets spooked when he sees a skeleton. The kiddo and I laugh. After a few seconds…

K: Okay let’s watch this til daddy comes out of the bathroom.

M: You like it, no?

K: No! (Trying to hide his smile, of course)

What are you guys doing today? 🙂

xo Patricia C.
via WordPress for Blackberry

Filed Under: Motherhood Tagged With: Conversations, Kids, The Little Mermaid

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Hi, I'm MrsC, a happy wife and mom, a help-less but not helpless homemaker, who is learning to live simply in this complicated world.

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