12 words that can describe our 2015

Passion - we started the year with a goal, a goal to have a baby and start our family! We had the passion and we succeded but things are not always perfect and so I'm sharing another word to describe my year.

Strength - they say that one can be strong if that is the only option you have. This is exactly what we felt about the challenge that we took this year! Tears were shed but another word described what happened next.

Love - unconditional LOVE that is! Love can only be felt and that's the best gift one can receive. We were showered with love, appreciation, sincerity and encouragement.  Things we need to get going and keep loving.

Blessed - we were always blessed, not only with material things but blessed by the people surrounding us.  In life, one always need another to survive and to have a strong support system from our family and friends means that we are always blessed.

Fulfilled - I am not perfect but I am content.  Content with what I have achieved, what my husband has achieved and how we do well in our careers. Fulfilled that I have a very loving and accepting family.  People who doesn't let us down.

Thrive - we thrived to give back something to our being.  It is enough to work hard and earn a living but it is equally important to take care of oneself.  It's the key to ultimate power being!  Valuing our health more than anything is the most important thing because being sick is the greatest fear that I have. The more we value ourselves, the more we are able to give back!

Resistance - when I talk about work, I can say that a lot has changed.  There was a time when I felt that change is vearing away from my comfort zone, which I don't like.  But at the end of the day, I realized that change is a matter of perspective, a matter of how I look at it for the better and it did.  It definitely changed myself for the better.

Relationship - this year has been a lot about relationships.  Family, friends, teammates, co workers, stakeholders, clients, it's all about building and maintaining that good relationship with people.  I am happy to build new relationships as I move on with this life and even happier to strengthen the relationships that I have over the years.

Empowering - I had several instances where I felt I was empowered to do more, empowered to speak up and empowered to inspire.  Had the opportunity to share my engaging experience as a lead and as an Accenture employee in our of our trainings.  Had the opportunity to give advise and support to family members and friends.

Stingy - year on year, this word never left me because it's ingrained in my soul. I may not be rich but I am slowly learning how to handle my finances.  How I can save more without compromising the things that I love.  Sharing the stinginess to my siblings and I hope they hear what I say.

Learning - I am not old enough to not learn about anything.  I am always willing to learn because that is one aspect to grow as a person.  Willing to listen because that's the only way to be great.  Willing to face defeat and failures because that's the only way to try again.  Willing to take each stumbling block as stepping stone in fulfilling my goals and aspirations.

Hopeful - one can never dream if one loses hope.  I am always hopeful with the great things that is yet to come.  Strengthening the faith with prayers and always looking at the rainbow after the rain.

How about you? What are the twelve words that can describe your 2015?

Xoxo

Following the tag: My 2015!

It made me cry... with laughter!
Described my 2015 in 6 seconds.



If you try to analyze deeper, we have been through a lot and it means stumbling down, hurting and feeling pulled down.

But when I looked at the video again, after all the tumbling down I wll laugh to tears because that is how we should look at our lives!

Look at each stumbling block as life lessons and learn from it -- then after hurting, laugh about it and move on!

Xoxo

Happy Gift Giving!

Christmas is always about giving and sharing..
Let me share with you all how happy Mama was when she received her gift!

Xoxo

Hernandez Christmas Party 2015

Christmas will never be the same if we will not have our annual get together and Christmas party!   This year was hosted by Tita Baby and it was held in one of the private resorts in Los Banos, Laguna at LuckyMiel Resort. 

We rented the place from 8am to 5pm.  
Upon entering the venue, you will be welcomed by their mini kubo where you can also hang out and have some drinks. 

It has four rooms (but we used 2 rooms only), pool, eating area and a terrace.
 

There was also a videoke where everyone joined in to sing.

 

Of course, kids went ahead and played in the pool.
 

 

Another thing that will not be missed, and the second most important part of this event, are the foodies.  These are potluck and everyone shared something -- I will share them in another blog post! :)

It's always good to eat with your family.  We've grown so big and our nieces and nephews are also grown up!

This year, we made the program different.  For those who arrived early, the kids went swimming already until we all arrived.  Just as expected, Diaz family was the last family to arrive, ehem, and after we have settled down, we went on to say grace (c/o Tita Baby) and had lunch. 

After lunch, the first activity was gift giving.  Historically, gift giving happens towards the end of the day and sometimes it's taken for granted because it's getting dark (sunset) or the kids are tired already.  So this year we made it different, after lunch, we had our yearly exchange gifts and then gift giving. 

Ate Ymbeck and Mama Inday were very busy preparing the numbers and the names for the exvhange gift.  These are only worth Php100 per gift.

We had the traditional gift giving, even if we don't have much money to give out, we make it a point to save for this event, so we will have Christmas gifts, simply because it brings a lot of joy to everyone (especially the kids and kids at heart).

Ate Ytche kicked off the gift giving!
 

New bags for the three sisters!  They were all happy!

Then wall clock for the couples and singles! hehe!

Then it was followed by games.  I used to prepare games for the kids but this year, it was Mama Inday who prepped for the games for adults.  We were all participative while the kids were having fun at the pool. 
 

After four games (Thanks Mama and Tita Ninang Lynley) we had the third most awaited part of the event, which is the Bingo Royale (the Hernandez way). After a couple of minutes after announcing Bingo, they were all set up! 
 

Of course one winner will prevail and it's none other than Tita Baby! 
Before I end this post, let me share the first goal of this event, aside from eating and playing Bingo.  It's ultimately spending time with loved ones, our family. 
 

Money can definitely make us happy because we can buy the things that makes us happy!  But let us not forget that these are material things, things that we cannot bring with us when we die.  

The most important thing that we can have while we are alive are the memories created with the people we love, with the people who are important to us and who makes us happy!! Let us always remember these things!! 

A very Merry Christmas to everyone and I look forward to our 2016 Christmas Party!! 

Xoxo

CF and OG TownHall and Christmas Party 2015

Christmas is really the most wonderful time of the year!
Especially if you are spending it with your team, the people you call family at work! 

This is our first Christmas party when CMT (Candidate Management) and People Advisors were merged.  We are now called CF (Corporate Functions) & OG (Operating Group) HR Team!! (Yes a lot of acronym going on!).

Last year, it was only CMT and we had it at Ms Myra's house.  
Now, we had a two in one event, first half was Townhall and the second half was Christmas Party.   We had it at Mom and Tina's.

Our event was hosted by Anna and Ace who were both very game in gracing the event.  Talagang naka-badge pa si Ace.

It was a fast paced Q1 and it ended so fast, with the updates given by our leads, I am excited to look forward to Q2!!

We also had recognitions and milestone celebrations! 

 

Then on the the exciting part of the party, of course the meal time! It's always fun to eat and eating with your friends make if more exciting! Let me share with you what we had! 
 

We had three games and they were all exciting! Thanks to Tine, Tiney, Rox for hosting them!! They were all fun! 

Then we had an exciting twist to our Exchange gift.  The mechanics were: 

First, we were holding all our gifts
Second, the host will give out a category and who ever in the group applies to that category will have to stand and exchange their gifts to the people who are also standing
Third is to give out three to four more categories until no one is holding their own gift.
That's it! So exciting and yet simple.

You will also have the opportunity to know something about your team based from the category that will be mentioned! 

Here are some of the food we had ^_^

Syempre hindi mawawala ang kainan!

It was a fun event of updates and games! 

Xoxo

Astoria Palawan: Must Visit!

Following my Puerto Prinsesa blog.

In our case, since its already our third time, we decided not to take any tours anymore but stay in our accommodation for the entire three days.  We stayed at Astoria Palawan.

Astoria Palawan is 1 1/2 hours bus ride from downtown (city proper of PP) and if you plan to join the city tour or underground river tour, I would not recommend that you stay in Astoria.  However, if you plan to not do anything, as in nothing, then this is the place to be in Palawan.  Let me count the reasons.

Before I start counting, once you arrive their gates, their friendly guards will greet you and hop you into their electric mini shuttle (I don't know how to call it).  

Once you reach their reception, you will be welcomed with their signature necklace (feeling nasa Hawaii lang) and then their welcome drinks.  Since we arrived 10:30 in the evening, we decided that our welcome drinks be served upon check out.

After checking in, we were briefed by the reception officer about the entire resort (that it was a 4 hectar mango farm) and we were introduced to the ammennites that we are entitled for.

Then we were cordially escorted by Sir Eric up to our room and gave every detail about the room that we will be staying.  I am not sure if it was protocol for resorts and hotels but sir Eric toured us inside our room from where our key card should be placed, how to use the safety deposit box until up to the channels of the TV.  I know that those are basic information that a person with common sense can easily comprehend (without asking) but hearing these instructions and guidance from Sir Eric made me feel special, like a VIP.  More than the guidance, its the feeling of being taken cared of that wowed me!

Let me share with you what our room looked like.

This is was a great and comfy table set where we worked at while on vacation.

Our two queen sized bed, of course we used just one and the other one was the bed for our luggage.

Our side table.

If you noticed our headboard, it has a great texture with those uneven woods.  If you noticed there were lights behind the woods and what is so amazing about that is it can be pulled out off the wall and it's an instant lampshade when you want to read while lying in your comfy bed.

In the room was a mini kitchen, we have our mini fridge with utensils with it.
We have our microwave and our little kette for our morning coffee.

Our clothes rack, with our own safe, slippers and digital weighing scale.

Bathroom essentials.
I hope they can also include an inspect reppelant on the list.

Let me go back to my list of reasons.

First, its secluded, there were not much tourists in the area and so you will definitely enjoy your own view of the beach.  

Yes they have a beach front but although it's not white sand, you will still enjoy the sand, sun and salt water because they have some activities that you can enjoy like Kayakking and beach volleyball.

It also has a mini playground for the kiddos out there and they will not be bored.

Aside from the beach, they also has their infinity pool where you can stay and relax, whether it's cooling down in the water or just plain sun bathing.  Once you are there at the pool area, Kuya will hand you your own pool towel, yes that's a separate towel from your bath towel.

You can also take your breakfast at the poolside.

If you are not a water person and you like it indoors, aside from staying in your Pod, they have a game room that you can visit. What do I mean with game room? Yes you are thinking it right, they have video games, not the oldies type of video games but Kinect and Wii.  

They also have iPad Mini that you can utilize if you don't want to use their Kinect and Wii.  For the Non techy out there, they have board games that you can use and it can all be played by an entire family.

Bookworms out there, you also have a place here, there are books available (though not that many) that you can borrow and read at the game room area, reception or your room.  I am just not sure if you can also bring the books at the pool and beach side.

For the frustrated singers like me, yes I admit that, they also have a videoke room that you can use.  The room is big enough to accommodate a max of 15 - 20 people.  And if you are celebrating a special occasion, you can order food from the restaurant and bring there at the videoke room.

They also have majong table if you want to play.

For the buff ones, they have a gym that you can use complete with gym equipment and paraphernalias.  There is also a billiards table and a table tennis table that you can use.    Though the gym is like 5 minute walk away from the reception its still quite a view, or you can use their mountain bikes going to the gym and yes its free.

All of these amenities are for free but is a first come first serve basis.  You can use them from (I hope I'm right) 6am to 10pm.

Last but not the least is their stylish restaurant that offers mouth watering entrees!! 

Everything that we ordered was great - I don't have any complaints about the food -- it was worth all the penny we paid for.

Fried Lamayo Fish

Home made Chicken Tocino

Roasted Crab Cakes

Twice cooked Bicol Express

To summarize our stay in Astoria Palawan is 7/10.

Note: this is Palawan and there are insects + it was a mango farm.  So if you are sensitive to insect bites better bring along with you your mosquito repellant. :)

To have an idea which side is Puerto Princesa this is, its along the way going to El Nido.

Xoxo