I moved again...

For the third time in my blogging experience, I decided to change my blog name. I promise this will be the last time. My first name was A Sugary Soiree but had to change that because we were in the process of creating a little business which almost had the same name. So I had to come up with something quick for my blog and decided on Charms and Cupcakes which never really stuck on me. I have now come up with something very simple and definitely something I can stick with. I came up with my Twitter name.. Love Lissie. Simply me. For my followers, please follow me here...

Never too late..

To give an update! Whoa! Shame on me that my last blog post was back in the beginning of January. If you noticed, I've had a very busy February.

Here is a quick update:

♥ My baby boy turned one in February and his first birthday kept me quite busy for the past 3 weeks. Although I was ecstatic to plan the event, I'm quite relieved its over. One word: stressful!

♥ Not only I had my lil bubba's big party to plan, but the next weekend I had to figure out what to do for my hubby's birthday. (With minor hurdles and bumps such as the restaurant not having our reservation, we were able to once again enjoy the company of our family and friends, and my husband got pretty chocolate wasted.) LOL

♥ With my grandparents coming back to the US, and all the other little events here and there, I managed to once again to neglect my blog. Hopefully, I can start to blog more often especially after I purchase my DSLR camera for our big trip to Hawaii.

♥ I've been on the hunt for new spring/summer pieces for my Hawaii trip and new cosmetic products (moderate to affordable prices) that I bought and will buy for my trip and for the upcoming spring and summer season. I can't wait to blog about these amazing findings.

♥ Last but not least, did I mention that we're heading over to Hawaii for my sister's wedding and my hubby & I's 2 year wedding anniversary? Pretty stoked, I might add!

New year new start

I think it's always a nice thing to start the New Year with some kind of resolution. I had an amazing 2010! I hope 2011 is even more fabulous! I came up with my list that I hope to all accomplish.

♥ Lose these 20 stubborn pounds by May! (This is a must or else I won't have a bridesmaid dress...well not necessarily but this is what I keep telling myself. haha)

♥ Finish our event planning website!

♥ I need to start working out. Flabby & jiggly arms are so not cute...

♥ I need to find more dinner recipes as opposed to always cooking frozen foods.

♥ I need to learn to be much more patient and stop being so demanding and controlling.

Update..

So I have once again abandoned my poor blog. If it makes any difference the holidays have made it very difficult to just sit down and write. I know, I know that's not a valid excuse but excuse my absence. I'll definitely try to make up for it on the next coming posts. Since my last post, I have celebrated my 29th birthday, Thanksgiving, me and my hubby's together forever anniversary (we've been together for 7 years in the dating years), and Maximus' 10 month (this does not even include all the other events).

During the past weeks, I have spent most of my time working, trying to plan my bubbah's first birthday and not too mention all the Christmas shopping. I am proudly to say that the planning is just about done with exceptions of tiny little details that will need to be managed when the time arrives. I'm just about satisfied of the final designs of his invitations and I decided to go with a Superhero theme - Super Max to be exact!

Aaand with all these events going on, my hubby and I are in the process of finding a place of our own (I'm so picky, I just hope it's not an impossible task). Don't get me wrong, I like living with my parents in this big house and the convenience of a baby sitter, however, my hubby and I love our privacy even more. It was nice that my parents helped us save, but I cannot wait to finally just be on our own. I am even more excited to start shopping for furniture (stay tune for more post on this).

Till the next post, I leave you my last crappy Blackberry photo of Maximus (I am now an Iphone user)... 10 month photo of my big bubbah! He doesn't like the flash :)

Wish List

Well as you may have read from my previous post on how absolutely obsessed I am with the month of November... hehe it's my birthday month! With that said, unlike last year I came up with a wish list. This wish list is not specifically for my birthday but for Christmas as well. I'm one of the lucky winter babies who was born just one month before Christmas (this means I get two gifts and not just a combined birthday/Christmas gift) haha!

This list is in no particular order, as you can see, my list is on the pricey side in hopes that black Friday would be a successful one... ♥

Nikon SLR - I think this is a great investment. Now that I've noticed how fast Maximus is growing up, I would like to capture every minute of it.

Diamond wedding band - I suck! I lost my wedding band while I was pregnant due to swelling. Not trying to make any excuses but yes, I blame it on the swelling. I can't wear my engagement ring because it doesn't match with my gold replacement. =(


Macbook Air - ok, I might be a little over my head on this one but I sooooo want one. I dropped the Macbook Pro a couple of months back, so my brother took it with him to LA to get it fix and now I'm stuck with a Toshiba. I can do wonders with this laptop. Maybe after our Hawaii vacay? A gift to me & my hubby for our 2 year anniversary...

Marc by Marc Jacobs Bag - If I don't get this for my birthday or Christmas, I'm getting it for myself. It's my baby bag. I'm tired sporting a Petunia Pickle. I love how there's pocket on the sides (great for bottles). I especially love how it's nylon, so I don't have to worry if it gets dirty or wet.

Holidays (my favorite time of the year)

Wow! Was it just me or did everyone notice October went by super fast? Now it's already November! One of my favorite months (ahem the month of my birthday), and it holds the only day where there's million of excuses to eat whatever you want and absolutely no limitations (that would be Thanksgiving day). This year my birthday happens to land on Thanksgiving (whomp, whomp, whomp), sorry but I was not looking forward to this. Not to mention everyone greeting me on a holiday which reminds me of how older I am getting (29 years old), but having to spend it with all the relatives was not the most idealistic. I would actually prefer to spend it more intimate with my two boys, but I guess more people the merrier, right?

This year, like last year, I really don't have anything on my birthday list. I haven't been to the mall in almost one month. Well I did stop by H&M today after the Giant's Parade to grab a couple of small essentials. Does that count? I've been really good trying to manage our money for upcoming events and vacations and this means no shopping every weekend. I can totally recycle some of my winter pieces from 2 years back (clothes that I couldn't wear last winter due to my over weight pregnant self). The only thing I would love to receive would be a new designer baby bag, I'm so over due! *hint hint hubs*

So many things to look forward to in the next coming weeks, did I mention that Christmas is next month?

Sleepy Dragon

This year for Halloween was surprisingly a fun one! I guess a huge factor was Max (kiddies always makes a holiday much more wonderful). It made everything so festive and picking out a costume and eating Halloween candy was my favorite part. I had no idea what to dress Max this year, I was torn between a puppy or spider from Pottery Barn. I finally decided with the puppy but with my luck, all the sizes we're all sold out. A procrastinator such as myself did not surprised me one bit. I researched for more costumes and stumbled upon Old Navy. Not only their costumes looked cute but they we're budget friendly (SCORE!!!!). I also loved how warm they we're which really helped in this cold October night. Here are some photos of my little bubs (aka Max the sleepy dragon). I call him the sleepy dragon because half way through trick or treating, he fell asleep. LOL

Patches of pumpkins

I can happily admit that I wasn't very much of a Halloween person nor very festive. I think as an adult, I only dressed up once and that was a couple of years back as a french maid. It was certainly amusing but just wasn't my fortay. Now being a mother, I can completely understand how this holiday can be so much fun for the kiddies. Candy, costumes, and pumpkins... what else can a kid ask for!

Last weekend, my sister and I took the babies to the pumpkin patch and it was definitely a memorable moment. Both kiddies we're amazed by the orange objects and at first very shy. Soon, they seen all the children play and began to play around as well. They both had a blast and came home with tiny pumpkins that they picked all by themselves. As you can see by the photos, they had a grand time!

Back to paradise

I've been terribly busy the last month, with work, parties, weddings and not too mention weekly orders of cupcakes and desserts, my life has been nothing but on the go. I can finally now sit down and blog about upcoming exciting events.

I am proud to say that my little sissy has decided to take her nuptials to paradise! The most exciting thing of all is she asked me to help her plan her amazing paradise wedding. I was truly honored! I cannot wait to go back to the Islands (not too mention that she chose the best month of all - I will be celebrating my two year anniversary on the most beautiful location I've encountered.) She chose to get married at the same location where I got married and I honestly got goosebumps! Not only I get to celebrate my wedding anniversary in Hawaii but now get to experience another fabulous wedding.

With wedding planning experience, we were able to book her venue, caterer, florist, bartender (open bar is definitely a must) and one of the best DJ's on the island. This upcoming months, we will be working on booking her photographer, Day of Coordinator, videographer and hair & makeup artist. I cannot wait to blog about wedding posts, it brings me back when I was planning my very own wedding.

Giovanni Shrimp Trucks, Leonards Malasadas, shave ice, Mondo Gelato, loco moco here we come! =)

Busy much?!

So lately, I've been sadly ignoring the blogging world... I know, I know how rude?? LOL But the past month my oven has been on over drive and been blessed to be getting orders left and right. I've been meaning to take photos of my goodies but never had the time to take sometime to take photos of the finish product. I will surely remember to take photos of my orders this week (I'll be making cake lollipops for my sister's mother in law).

Here goes a recap of my lovely busy month (Each weekend was booked with orders or family functions):

♥ I was honored to bake my goodies for my lovely friend's daughter's 1st birthday. I baked her pear cheesecakes, bibingkas and made ice cream cake pops. Sadly I was not able to take pictures of them but managed to steal some from her family's pictures. (Another post coming soon)

♥ I was asked to bake for the Pistahan Festival (Filipino event) and managed to bake 250 cupcakes and 50 jumbo cookies for the whole weekend. I can honestly I was pretty exhausted by Sunday night and just wanted to go to bed.

♥ Attended a birthday party and a bridal shower all in one weekend. (I was actually happy that I had a baking break this weekend).

♥ With all this baking, I managed to work Mon-Thurs in the corporate world which has me exhausted by the end of the day. Gotta love my life right now!

With that said, there are so much events and celebrations to look forward in the next coming month.

♥ Attending a wedding in Seattle and a much needed small vacation (You all know how I'm obsessed with The Twilight Saga - wishing we can visit Forks but everyone says no. LOL)

♥ When we get back from Washington, I will be baking goodies for a bachelorette party as well as a birthday party all in the same week!

♥ The week after, I was asked to bake all the goodies for my nephew's 1st birthday! The very same day, attending a wedding!

I'm looking forward to a very busy month and hopefully I can manage to update my blog with pictures to come. So stay tuned everyone! =)

Lovely weekend recap

This past few weeks, I've been crazy paranoid. Ask the hubby and the little sissy, and they will tell you exactly how I felt. I have no idea what's going on with my body but I have not been "regular" if you know what I mean. Ever since June, mother nature has not arrived and it is making me very nervous. It's not that I don't want to be pregnant, I just feel that I'm not ready to have another baby quite so soon. My little Maxi is quite a handful (ask anyone, they will tell you! lol) but everyday I am so blessed to have him. Anyways, it's almost August and no mother nature yet. I've been meaning to POAS (pee on a stick) but I'm terrified to see two lines. While my husband is ecstatic about more kids (he thinks the more the merrier), I am here freaking out. Not only my poor body has not bounce back from my Cesarian but I haven't even lost my baby weight yet. I can't even think about another baby yet?!?

I became more paranoid because I was having symptoms when I was pregnant with Max. I was burping like a truck driver and kind of nausous. But then again, I may have been psychicing myself out. So over the weekend, I finally man(ed) up and had my hubby buy a pregnancy test. Yesterday morning (which all ladies know is the best time to POAS) I finally did it. Here is the results:

*Please excuse my poor quality Blackberry camera photo*

THANK GOODNESS!!! I was a bad girl and woke up my husband and played a silly joke on him. I told him, it was positive. He immediately got up and nervously yelled, "Are you serious?!!!!!" I said, "Gotcha!!!" I'm awful, I know =)

So that sums up my weekend, well except I forgot to mention that my hubby had the most terrible stomach virus. He looks like he lost 5 lbs! Ha! As a stay at home mom, never realized how awful Sunday nights we're. Just thinking about going to work on Monday makes me just gag! Till next blogging spree!

Need vs Want

In my previous post, I mentioned that I have been going on a baking extravaganza... with that said, there are soooo many appliances or supplies that I soooo need. (In my husband's opinion all items are considered want.) Whatever! LOL

I'm so tired of hand mixing my batters or better yet I'm even more tired of using the electric mixer and have everything all over my clothes. I want all of these...I mean need these NOW! =)

I've always wanted a food electronic scale. This way everything I make is the same size.

I need a Silpat so bad, I waste way too much parchment paper.

Expensive Vanilla extract always makes everything taste good!

My hand is officially tired of sifting everything manually. =(

Busy life

So I haven't blogged in a very loooong time. I just could not make time to do one of my favorite things to do, due to my over whelming schedule. I recently started working again, yes, I am officially a working mom. Up to this point, I did not know how difficult it would be to be away from my baby. I kind of find it funny because my husband and I have switched rolls. While he is at home with the baby, doing the laundry, doing errands I am at work. He is currently working from home and I just so envy him. It doesn't help that he sends me text pictures of my baby doing the most adorable things.

In the previous post, I mentioned that my sister and I will be opening our very own business soon and of course this job will pay for our start up cost. I am happy to announce that we have many clients in the next months. Working a 9-5 job also enabled me to network and now my co-worker has hired us to plan her grand baby's birthday party.

It will be a very busy couple of months for us. Two weddings to attend. Seattle in August. Birthdays to plan. Goodies to bake. Oh my! ♥

5 Months

It's been quite a while since the last time I posted. This is all due to the typical life of a busy wife/mommy. Recently I changed my blog name due to conflict of our new business name. Yes, I said "new business." My sister and I finally pursued our true passion. Our business consist of sweet desserts, designing dessert tables, invitations, favors, and all things parties. Stay tuned for our upcoming website. It's currently in the works.

In the meantime, my little baby turned 5 months old yesterday and can't believe how time literally flies. He is now flipping all over the bed, knows if mommy or daddy is not in the room and loves to laugh. I love waking up in the morning looking forward to that smile on Maxi's face. Yes, it's true, every morning when he sees his mommy or daddy, he has a huge smile on his face. Last night, I made pigs in a blanket and baked delicious chocolate cupcakes. Yumm! I provided recipes at the bottom of the post in case you love what you see.

Pigs in a blanket Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 frankfurters
• 8 slices American processed cheese
• 1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Wrap cheese around each frankfurter then the biscuit around that. Put on cookie sheet with the overlap of biscuit faced down, so you don't have to use tooth picks.
3. Bake in preheated oven until biscuits are brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Chocolate cake with ganache buttercream

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool.

Frosting Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup hot fudge topping
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Cream together the butter or margarine with the shortening.
2. Sift the cocoa with the confectioners' sugar and add to the creamed mixture. Mix together adding 1 tablespoon at a time of milk to keep mixture smooth. Don't add more than 1/4 cup of milk.
3. Add the hot fudge topping and the vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Weekly Random Thoughts 4th edition

♥ I am almost done with all the paper crafts and designing for Max's baptism. My sissy's Printshop Adobe made my life sooo much easier. Now I can't wait to design my baby's 1st birthday invites. Natalie's invitation are absolutely faaabulous! So inspired!

♥ I had experienced some bumps and hurdles this week. Well first, my favor idea of ordering cookies from the famous Diddy Riese did not work out. Unfortunately my cousin who had plan to pick up my order will arrive Sunday morning, which leaves me no time to adorn them with pretty ribbons. Instead, I will make the edible favors myself. I just did a mock-up this morning and both got the approval from the hubby and little sis (which opinions I highly value).

♥ One of my pet peeve is when people don't RSVP for an event. I cannot fathom how much time wasted to having to get in touch with people who does not have the courtesy to set aside one whole minute of their time to say "Yes or No". Simple as that, doesn't seem like rocket science to me? It amazes me even more when all you need to do is simply check off yes or no and mail it off, with a stamp already included. (Yes, I experienced this when trying to get back my wedding RSVPs). How I applause those relatives/friends who takes the initiative to respond back before the RSVP date. To add salt to the wound, there are people who don't bother to RSVP but waits for the invitee to actually contact them. Then there are those people who had RSVP to attend but is a no show at the actual event. Talk about no courtesy. Anyway, vent over. Let's move on...

♥ Another hurdle to overcome is assigning seating arrangements for each guests. Hopefully it will work out and each guest is a happy guest.

♥ After planning this baptism, I am so exited to plan another huge event in the next year (other than Max's 1st birthday of course - that's a whole different post). I can't wait to dig in and start doing my heavy research.

♥ This summer will be such a busy one. So many birthdays and a couple of my favorite cousins are getting married. I would also love to go back to Los Angeles during the fall or winter to do some research for the big event as well as fitting in some R&R. =)

♥ How do I add working out to my list of things to do everyday? Exercising is definitely a must if I want to get back in shape. My pilates DVD isn't so motivating and this chilly weather is not very helpful. In the faint of heart, I still need to lose about five more lbs in the thighs and hips area to get back into my old jeans again. Muffin tops are sooo not cute! hehe

♥ I cannot wait to see SATC 2 over the weekend. Soo excited!

Ok, enough blabbering... till next week.

Weekly random thoughts.. edition 3

♥ Seriously, can they make Edward more pale? I mean, I thought as a vampire he wasn't supposed to change? He was so much more handsome in Twilight. I loved the boyish look he had going on, now he just looks paler, older and full of makeup. Rest a sure, I still love my Edward! I'm probably what you consider a "Twi-Mom" now. HAHA

♥ Thanks to Trader Joe's, all of a sudden I'm addicted to fish sticks! HAHA My little sis and I have been to three different stores this weekend (Costco, Wal Mart, & Target) all in which we purchased fish sticks. Tonight we had fish and chips with tarter sauce and lemon on the side. We even had sweet potato fries to go with. On Thursday night, we are having fish tacos. LOL awkward much?

♥ Last night I slept on the floor. I thought I had pink eye (conjunctivitis). All of a sudden my left eye started to feel itchy, which I started to rub. With all the rubbing, my eye turned pink of course. I have no idea how I got it. I have a pet peeve about hand washing and I always bring anti-bacterial with me everywhere I go. It's quite possible that it's allergies but to be cautious I slept on the floor so my little Max wouldn't be at risk.

♥ Speaking of eye and Max, the past week, his right eye has been very watery. He's always tearing just on that one eye. I'm a little concerned so I'm going to call his doctor tomorrow morning just in case. Hopefully it's just a close tear duct.

♥ My sleep pattern is all wrong. I am now sleeping as late as 2:30 AM, as you may notice the time of my blog posts. This is not good, especially when I officially go back to work.

Well that's all for now...till next edition of my weekly random thoughts.

Way Overdue

Here are more wedding photos from my wedding. Mind you, a few days ago I just finally looked through thousands of these pictures my photographer sent me a couple months after the wedding. Yes, I know... one year later and procrastination results to waaay overdue . With getting pregnant, working full time, I just didn't have the time and energy to look through each and individual picture. So I'm pleased to say that I officially have the time to post my favorites. These particular photos we're signature images by Oahu's talented photographer Frank Amodo. Hope you don't mind with the wedding photo addiction... P.S. I had the best wedding entourage anyone can ask for! I ♥ all of them!

One year and counting...

A couple of days ago, the hubby and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary. Yes folks, a year ago today, we we're married on the most beautiful day in Hawaii. I still remember it like yesterday! There we're a few events that we're more memorable than others but it was one of the most amazing day of my life (other than giving birth to my little man). I married my soulmate. Here are some memory that I still cannot forget:

♥ I almost couldn't fit into my dress LOL! I blame it on some of the best cuisine Hawaii had to offer

♥ My makeup and hair artist decided to take their sweet time and almost made me miss my ceremony (luckily my limo driver knew his way around)

♥ My brother's ex-girlfriend HAD to faint right before the bride kisses the groom and "I pronounce you man and wife" (thank goodness she was fine)

♥ My uncle had a fit when the waitstaff served his fish with pepper

♥ All my young/old guests went crazy buckwild on the open bar resulting to very drunk people

♥ A true believer in whoever catches the bouquet and garter will be next! My cousin Tarzan caught our garter who got married a couple of months later. My cousin April who caught my bouquet got engaged in December and they are getting married this August!

All in all, I wouldn't change anything. I married the love of my life and had the most joyfullest time of our lives.