Saturday, May 30, 2015

A Prelude to my Preggy Diaries


Episode 1 ( Reproductive Health Issues)

Prior to marrying, if asked on our plans to be pregnant, I answer a resounding “1 year after marriage” while Mr. Replied “Immediately”. Well his manly ego was on high hopes to conceive ASAP. 4 months into the marriage, the family idea got to me. Especially that I already had reproductive health issues, I had lesser chance of conceiving than most ladies out there, as most OBs would say to scare the heck out of me.

“Panganak na uy basin dili naka makaanak madugay “
 
In English "You should conceive now or else you might not be able bear one when you get older "

Super nega naman nila di’ba , kainis . The idea of not being able to have a family depresses me, minsan nga umiyak ako at sinabihan si hubby ko (then bf pa)  na what if hindi kami magkaanak. Sabi naman niya happy naman kami kahit kaming dalawa lang. But iba parin talaga if we have a baby , that’s how I always imagined myself kasi. You see ,coming from a broken family, one of my greatest dream kasi is having a happy family of my own.

Luckily I met Dra. Elena Ranices, who had a different point of view than most doctors I visited. She was recommended by my officemate who had her as an OB for her first pregnancy. I also heard from another co-worker that Doctora has a personalized approach in managing patients ranging from pregos to cancer patients.

I visited her prior to the wedding with my good friend Alyssa who at that time was an expectant mom. I had two concerns at that time; (1) I am afraid that my monthly period falls on my honeymoon night and most importantly (2) Will I be able to conceive .

For concern no. 1 doc was amused by my concern. Well doc bummer naman yun di’ba? But she advised to let my body do its thing, wag ko daw pakialaman cycle ko or else may consequences. Hai naku ok ok. Thankfully  hindi naman nataon sa wedding night yung period. Ayee.... hahaha.

For concern no.2 doc was more serious on this note na. She asked for my age and health story. Salamat nalang at saksakan ng positive vibes si doc , according to her , at my age this should not be an issue despite of previous operations and cyst and minor myoma experienced. But just to be at the safe side wag na daw ako mag paabot past 28 before I conceive. Just to confirm she requested a TVS.

As per checking ni doc sa TVS all was A-O-K. Wag na daw ako magalala kahit di naman 100% si RS magkakaanak pa naman daw ako. Hearing this from a professional was a great relief.

Lessons mga te :

1.        Anyone na nagkaperiod na, sexually active or not, you should have an idea of reproductive health. Generally if 18 kana you should be visiting the OB na. I had my first reproductive health issue at 15. Breast Cyst akala ko mamamatay na ako (OA na bata). Yun pala i am having troubles with my RS pala.

 

2.       Find and OB Gyne who you are comfortable with. You will be talking of sensitive matters, it’s important that you can fully disclose your condition with the doctor . Prior to doctora Ranises I found others as offensive, insensitive or not trust worthy. Sorry ha , pero dumaan talaga ako sa doctors na ganun yung ending ayaw ko na eraise ang concerns ko or hindi ko na sila binabalikan.

 

3.       Listen to your body. Don’t take little bumps and nicks forgranted or they might turn-out as big health issues. I have seen a breast cancer patient in the flesh. It started with this small lump and it ended up as a malignant tumor. She was a very inspiring and kind hearted woman who left two beautiful kids behind. Nakakaiyak naaalaala ko si Ma’am Eucie ,may she rest in peace.

 

I hope you picked up something useful my from RS issue

I will be mumbling more on Reproductive Health and Preggy Journey on succeeding blogs.

Details of my God sent OB

Dra. Elena T. Ranises
Capitol University Medical Center
Gusa, Cagayan de Oro
Monday to Friday ( 10 AM to 4 PM )
Saturday ( 10 AM to 12nn)

Note : Do come earlier if you plan to visit her on Wednesdays , she usually has a bible study session on that day around 3 pm. I am usually charged P300.00 to P350.00 for consultations.

Sha sha . hangang dito lang muna. Until next time .

 

-Lady V

Thursday, May 28, 2015

The Wedding Budget


Marrying age na kami, many of my friends and acquaintances ask about wedding details from me as I have already out - wed them . We got married last July 2014.  The big day was magical and very memorable, I hope not only for us but all those who were with us to celebrate our union.

That day took 6 months in the making. Yes 6 months mga ateng .I never really got serious with the wedding preps until the day when he asked permission from my mother if he could marry me na (kilig moments) . I never had that engagement ring , knelling down on one knee moment but never the less I knew his intentions was good and clear. For me it is important for a man to verbalize that he wants your hand for marriage first before setting anything . It was formalized when “namanhikan” na siya and his family.
Wedding preps are fun , specially for me cause I am an planner by heart talaga . Pero super kastress din siya .Hello it burns a whole in the pockets of people pa. Thankfully our families were generous enough and financially supported us in this life event.

During the pamanhikan it was agreed to have a budget of 100,000 for the wedding , mostly shouldered by the male side. Both are midclass families and this budget was already considered more than enough. It is important for both parties to come up with a budget to work with. Wedding expenses can get so high ,and without a cap placed on it expenses can get out of hand and might set you back financially.

So where did the 100K budget get us ? Here are the details on suppliers and how much each cost

Church

For catholic weddings, first and foremost couples should look into churches . Each church had their schedules , requirements and ruling for conducting the sacrament of Matrimony . We chose San Isidro Labrador Parish , known as eco church of Kauswagan, as suggested  by mudrakels. It had no walls you can see the lush greenery surrounding the place . On the Altar is a manmade waterfall which evoked a sense of calm. Most coordinators we spoke to were cautious of this church due to the “strict” parish priests. Indeed they were strict, but it made totally sense , after all matrimony is a holy ceremony not a show.

The church fee was P 4,000.00 pesos since both of us are non parishioners.  They do not collect fees for sponsor, which we included in the budget, as practiced in other churches. Instead they give out envelops for our ninongs’ and ninangs’ love offering on the day of the wedding .  We ended up with savings on sponsor's fee.


Reception Venue

Most couple opt for the regular venue + food package for their wedding reception. However most establishment offering this kind of service usually offer limited viands and add on cost for extra’s such us additional per head charging even if food served was as is, corkage for additional lechon / dessert buffets and cocktails , Electrical charges for devices.

Due to this we opt to rent a function area then have food catered to allow us to maximize our budget. We rented Rich Manor Pension House’s Biggest Function Room which could accommodate 80 to 120 pax. The rate was P 2,300.00 per hour which include use of the Led lights, sound system , tables ,chairs and basic decorations. We Opt to have book them for four hours , we paid a total of P 9,200.00 which I think is super sulit na considering may drappings na yung function room which gave extra elegant feels sa venue. We talked to the supervisor and requested the following glass goblets, a room for our honeymoon , a photowall and simple centerpieces for each table.  We were charge an additional of P 13,000.00  for all this (which I think was very reasonable) but we haggled our way through it. Sir Ralph of Rich Manor gave us a very big discount. I am very thankful to the Rich Manor team.


For details visit their website
http://www.richmanorpensionhouse.com/
Food

I am a foodie so on top our wedding essential is good food on our day. We chose Fablues Catering as our food provider, as recommended by my aunt who personally knew the owners. There buffet package was only P180.00 per head consisting of 7 viands + Rice + Dessert + Drinks .Since we booked for 120 head they gave away 2 additional Viands. Oh wee I love freebies. The guest gave good feedback on food as expected. Masarap at marami daw yung food.
Fablues is located in Nazareth 13th corner 15th st. Residencial yung area but they have an office inside.

Wedding Rings

We got our wedding ring from Treasures by Carla. The cash Price was around P15,000.00 for both Italian Gold White Gold Wedding Bands. But we got a huge discount due to their promo. I liked that they sell the ring by grams not by piece. They offered engraving for 200.00 each ring but I had it taken to gaisano for Engraving I think it only cost Eugene P50.00 .

Treasures has branches at 2nd floor Centrio Mall Fronting BPI ATM Lane) and at the Big R fronting Supermarket.

Photo and Video Coverage

One thing I have to say is that ang mahal naman ng wedding photo and video coverage in CDO. Once I was even quoted 70,000 for photo coverage lang. I know the value of wedding photo and videos ,after all these are the ones that will be left behind after the wedding naman. But then again being practical , I can't bring myself to give in to the high cost of photo and video. Thankfully thru my research I found Fotocrimelab of Ozamis City which offered Photo and Video Package Ranging from 8K to 20K . We took the 12K package which included  Prenup Photo Shoot , on the day wedding  Photo and Video ,50 prints and digital copies of photos in CD . Sulit na diba. We just needed to shell out extra for the our travel to ozamis (which is OK since we will be visiting my father in Oroquieta to formally invite him) for the prenup shoot and travel expenses of 2 photographers and one videographer from ozamis. Still very reasonable and I loved their output. My husband also likes the team of bungotons.

(L-R : Photographer Matt, Hubby , me , host Pluto , Photographer Nookie, yung videographer nagcapture nito)
Please visit their fb page https://www.facebook.com/fotocrimelab , madaling kausap tong mga poging to

Cake

The cake was sponsored by Adam , a good friend of mine. Thanks Damskie for sharing your blessing with us. I had our wedding cake made by Trana Marie Cakes . The first thing they asked me was the design and how much was my budget. I gave them a photo to work on and a budget of P4,000.00 . The cake was pretty and tasted good.  

Trana marie cake is located at the back of Landbank Capistrano. May maliit na corner na may cake display , yun yon.

Wedding Coordinator / Wedding Attire

Our wedding coordinator was a friend of my sister-in-law. I learned my lesson on this one . I already had this coordinator I really preferred but upon the recommendation of my then to be SIL , I jumped into making her friend our wedding coordinator. She also provided for our first user set of attire which included my wedding dress. Sadly she was not able to deliver 100% of our expected output both on service and the attire . It was quite frustrating but we have to go on. What’s important is that I marry the man of my life on that day.

Siguro mataas masyado nagging expectation ko for her, mudrakels and Hubby Eugene went to the length of renting their attire from others the day before the wedding. We agreed on having 3 to 4 people support during wedding preps but siya lang magisa on the day at late pa . Thankfully Dai2 our housemate was there to helpout . Sa church naman may inhouse coordinator kaming na hire as recommended by the parish. But anyway here is what the wedding attire looked . Thankfully decent enough parin sa photo’s so keribells lang. We paid her a total of P16,000.00 pesos for 1st user attire + coordination . tThought it was a steal but we got what we paid for.  May mga available for rent ranging from 3K to 25K sa Capistrano area .Go for what suits your style and budget.


Flowers

Lisa Flower shop was recommended by our wedding coordinator . We paid only P5,000.00  for the flower. This was not a priority anyways, so I was cool with the price and simple arrangement. What got me was that my bouquet was not fresh. Depressing pero I have to go on with it .

 

This are only the major spending for the wedding. Meron pa mga paunti2 like documentary requirements , seminar payments , Choir , Church Coordinator, Host etc. dami pa friendships. In the end, we spent around Php 140,000 for our wedding (including yung mga papuchopuchong gastos)  , 40K off the budget but relatively acceptable and still considered as a modest wedding in today’s standard. The reality is that no matter how big or how little you spend on your wedding day , what counts is the commitment you have for your wife/husband.

I hope this blog helps those in the wedding plans. Ganern talaga daw when it comes to wedding suppliers , meyroong "Yey" at "Ney", however don't stress to much on this , what is important is your union namn di'ba?
 
Sha sha , hangang dito nlang . Until Next time

-Lady V

Sunday, May 24, 2015

About Me



I am a life lover.

Mine is not perfect , as it is with the rest of us but I love it and I try to live it the best I can. I had my share’s of ups and downs which I think sums up to what I am now.

I am a believer of God

One thing that has kept me intact throughout trials is my strong belief that I am never alone. When all others fail me, I have my big and loving God besides me all the way.

I am a foodie

I love food. I love to cook and eat. Food got me tied up to memories. Great food, making, eating or even smelling it, gives me nostalgic sensation. Cuisine doesn’t matter, if it seems good then let’s eat up.

I am a traveler

I know I was meant to go places and travel. It’s a big bonus that my work allows me to see as much as I can while assigned in projects.  I also make it to a point to travel at my own expense (often backpacking) at least once a year or discover nearby hidden gems.

I am practical

Kuripot as you may call it but I make very practical decisions on my spending. I am always scouting sales, coupons, freebies etc. It never hurts to save even a few cents. My family and friends often commented on me having a “stable job” early on in life but do not often see me indulging on luxuries. Don’t get me wrong I love these things I indulge once in a while but I have goals in life which are larger than these luxuries. So I keep spending on a minimum.

I am beautiful

Hahaha. Vain lang mga teh. But I believe you should never put yourself down. Beauty is not only thru physical aspects, it also involves mind and soul.  Sure there are times that I don’t wax my freaking hairy legs , I often forget to comb my hair on lazy Sunday mornings and yes I am overweight and struggling to lose some pound . But “Gwapa ko” no one can argue with that.

I am a wife

I married at the age of 23 to a loving man. Quite young diba ? I had my share of warnings on marrying off young, but I believe our relationship will be strong enough to face the trials of married life.  I prayed to God for a responsible man to love, accept and be with me ‘til the rest of my life. He is the answer to my prayers.

I am a daughter and a sister

More like my barkadas. My mom had me young so I grew up while she was also still discovering herself. And my sister , she torments me . hehehe but I love them both so much .

I am a mom

Expectant mom here. The baby is right on schedule as I planned to have one when I am 25. Our first is due on October, my birth month. We are looking forward to my bouncing bundle of joy. Help me pray for our good health and safe delivery.

I am a career woman

My husband bought up the idea of being a housewife, as his mother was. But I can’t seem to fully grasp the idea. I have been set on having a career, be it in the corporate world or having a business of my own. I have nothing against housewives but I can’t have peace with the idea yet.  I have been raised by headstrong career woman, my mom. I have been around them all my life and I admire how they balance work and family time. So that is how I see myself too.


Haba mga friendship ,  pwede pang humaba yan pero maduduling na kayo sa kakabasa so preno muna ako.


Sha sha, hangang dito muna. Until Next Time

-Lady V

What is this all about ?

Finally , I've been wanting to start my own blog for the longest time. Here it is at last .

Well what to put on this blog .Here is the list of I made on excel :



I named my blog Rants and Mumbles . Gino-google ko yan at eto mga friends  ang meaning:

source : google search

source : google search
 
 
Kinda negative ,but me being a optimism junkie would like to use it on a positive way.  I want to speak (Rant) , or rather share things important to me and of matters that I hope to be of use to others . I often give advises and talks  ,solicited or not (in someways ito yung mumble hehehe).. Like recently , I shared to my husband Robert Kiyosaki's book ; Rich Dad , Poor Dad . It was an eyeopener and gusto ko talaga enarrate halos buong book sa kanya . Hai naku , ayun naka tulog si hubby dear . I can't blame him magmimidnight na talak parin ako ng talak . Dito ko nalang ebuhos yun. Hopefully may magkainterest naman.

Sha sha.... hangang dito nalang muna . Until next time

-Lady V



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