pasyal

overdue post. lakwatsa namin sa US. bullets na lang.

• 2007.12.21 – we went to dominick’s agad after eating dinner. kakarating lang namin nito.
  
• 2007.12.22 – we went to old navy where we bought 1 polo shirt for johann (i find their clothes mahal pa rin kahit naka sale) but we went sa shoe carnival (walang pics) to buy shoes for me and johann (crocs lang kse dala namin pareho). then we went to north school park for their lights display sa arlington heights.
  
• 2007.12.23 – we attended mass sa st joseph parish. we stayed inside the children’s room where maraming books and papers and crayons. may speaker sa loob ng room kaya we can still hear the mass. sobrang lamig that time paglabas namin. then we went to gurnee mills. shopping galore sana kso wala pa ako sa mood mag-shop. daming layer kse ang suot ko kaya nakakatamad mag-fit. though i was able to buy 5 v-neck shirts for $20 ata and 2 jackets. buy 1 take 1 kse. tsaka pyjama’s pala for johann sa oshkosh. di ko na maalala kung may iba pa akong nabili.
  
• 2007.12.24 – we drove all the way to mitsuwa marketplace just to buy the mochi ice cream that rudney craves. we went na rin sa apartment nila rudney sa buffalo grove to get some things. walang tao dun that time nasa bakasyon. nakakatuwa dun sa apartment nila kse most of their furnitures were hand picked (read as pinulot). for noche buena i cooked spaghetti. our other handa were ham, roasted chicken, fruits, slice ng cake na sobrang tamis, bread and of course mochi. we celebrated early mga 10 pm ata. kse alam namin hirap gisingin si johann nun. nag start na kse nag-adjust body clock nya.
• 2007.12.25 – for christmas day, after eating lunch we went out. we went to michael jordan’s house pero hanggang gate lang. then sa ymca leaning tower and at mcdonald’s museum, sayang lang kse that time close sya kaya hanggang gate lang ulit kami. we had dinner at denny’s then we went home na.
• 2007.12.26 – went to westfield shoppingtown near us. bought some bath & body works lotion for $5 each.
  
• 2007.12.27 – went to winter wonderland. it’s a drive thru lights show. ang laki ng area nakakatuwa. after that we went to garden fresh para mag-grocery.
  
• 2007.12.28 – maaga pinauwi cla rudney kse they predicted a heavy snowfall kaya we got to play in the snow. yippee!
  
• 2007.12.29 – we went to downtown chicago. we got to visit wrigley field (covered in snow), united center, went up the sears tower, and shopping at westfield shopping town (ibang branch naman). bought bonnets for me and johann and bought bath & body works lotion, body wash and cologne again pero this time for 3 for $10.
  
• 2007.12.30 – balik ulit kmi ng downtown the next day to attend mass sa our lady of sorrows basilica. ganda ng church and we felt very welcome. the regular churchgoers there went around to shook hands with everybody instead of just nodding and saying “peace be with you”. even si johann naki-shake hands din. we had lunch sa chinatown, then we went to millennium park. there we saw the jay pritzker pavilion (tanaw lang namin, di na kami pumunta), cloud gate, crown fountain (walang fountain that time), ice skating rink, wrigley square and millennium monument (where i ran after johann, takasan ba naman ako, sa gitna pa ang field pumunta). then tambay naman kami sa northbrook court mall where i bought a small $4 bag.
• 2008.01.01 – we woke up johann ng 12 mn. ayun galit, wala sa mood nung una. tamad na kami magluto kya we bought microwaveable food na lang. we had lasagna, fetucini, pizza, kfc, cake, melon and of course mochi na naman. in the afternoon rudney brought us sa randhurst mall. there we shopped sa steve & barry’s (all items $8.98. dami ako nabili. hehehe), then sa victoria secret (5 for $25 ang panties) and bath and body works na naman. good thing may free play area for the kids kaya di naman nainip si johann. sad lang kse since new year maaga cla nag-close kaya bitin sa laro ang anak ko.
• 2008.01.02 – we went to tj maxx. na-addict ako dito kaya we visited 2 other branches. designer bags na very cheap. though not so high end bags pero for me ok na. mostly nabili ko nine west.
  
• 2008.01.03 – di kami umalis that day. we just munched on lay’s for meryenda.
  
• 2008.01.04 – woodfield mall sa schaumburg naman kami tumambay. we were supposed to eat sa rainforest cafe kso naman waiting na eh gutom na ako sa sbarro na lang kami.
• 2008.01.05 – we went naman sa navy pier. all their outdoor rides are closed since its winter. sayang.
  
• 2008.01.06 – we went out of state. we attended mass at basilica of st. josaphat sa wisconsin. after the mass we drove around the city for pictures. then went to the milwaukee art museum. sa lobby lang kami. i don’t think johann would enjoy it sayang lang ibabayad namin. we had our lunch there na lang. then we went to betty brinn children’s museum. i thought this is just an ordinary museum designed lang for children. boy i was wrong. its a big play area but not like fun ranch dito sa atin ha. its more educational. sayang nga lang konti lang pics. johann was all over the place kse. he also met curious george there.
  
• 2008.01.08 – di ko maalala kung san kmi pumunta nito.
  
• 2008.01.09 – we did our grocery. we usually do it sa dominick’s. but this time we tried sa fresh farms kse mas maraming vegetables and fish dun. ang kaso wala naman dun yung ibang kailangan namin so we ended going to dominick’s din. after dun nag-side trip kami sa walgreens. parang mercury drug dito sa atin. ito yung client ni rudney sa US. sa office sya pero may times daw sinasama sya mag-store visit. we bought a $10 laptop bag, battery operated massager na buy 1 take 1, and eddy’s ice cream.
  
• 2008.01.10 – jewel-osco naman kmi. yup, grocery na naman pero nag-soli naman kami ng dvd this time.
  
• 2008.01.11 – tamad mag-luto ng dinner kaya i requested to eat out sa kfc. eat-all-you can! yummy!. tsaka nag-take out din kami para sa lunch namin the next day. long drive kse kami.
  
• 2008.01.12 – divided the pics to 4 albums. part 1 contains the start of our long drive kaya mostly ng pictures nasa car kami. part 2 we arrived na sa springfield. illinois pa rin sya pero more than 2 hr drive sya kaya mga 4am ata kmi umalis ng hotel. anyways, we went to lincoln tomb, vietnam veterans memorial, lincoln presidential library and national museum, sa park na malapit dun, old and new capitol, executive mansion na di kami nakapasok kse half day lang pala cla and lincoln’s home. part 3 naman we went to effingham to visit the cross. illinois pa rin pero more or less 1.5 hr drive from springfield. binaba lang namin sa hotel/motel yung bag, had lunch then byahe ulit. nakita na namin sya from express way kso mali pala yung location na nasa map kya mali kami ng exit. ikot kami ulit and we just followed road signs on how to get there. when we got there grabe iba yung feeling. can’t explain eh basta. tsaka sobrang laki nya para kaming langgam. si johann tuwang-tuwa. sayang we didn’t get to buy any souvenir kse sarado na yung office. part 4 naman eh dinner kami sa mcdo then check namin yung sports outlet, wala kming nabili, then bought spiderman shoes for $14 for johann sa payless shoe source. after dinner the scarriest part of the trip started. it deserves a separate post.
  
• 2008.01.13 – 3 albums naman to. part 1 contains pics nung byahe namin and stop over. we had breakfast sa white castle. first hamburger chain daw and na-feature sa food network kaya try namin. ayos lang, masarap naman. ang nakakatuwa ang liit ng burger, 1 order 3 pcs agad. part 2 and part 3 we were in st. louis, missouri na. attend kami ng mass sa cathedral basilica of saint louis. then went to busch stadium, went up the gateway arch and had late lunch at hardee’s.
  
• 2008.01.14 & 2008.01.15 – puro room pics lang pero alam ko lumabas kami nito. di ko lang maalala kung san kami pumunta.
  
• 2008.01.16 – nag-leave nito si rudney para pa-check ng mata nya. nagluluha kse tsaka mahapdi. after nya pa-check up and buy ng gamot we went to gurnee mills ulit and dinner sa bob chinn’s crab house where we paid almost $100 para sa food naming 3 pero sulit naman sobra. after dinner we went naman dun sa house ng officemate ni rudney to give yung gift para sa baby shower. di kse kami makaka-attend. ako nga pala nag-drive papunta dun. sobrang kabado ako. same nung nag-drive ako papuntang sm fairview for the first time na mag-isa lang. nung i-park ko na yung sasakyan tinatawanan ako ni rudney kse pa-aatras ako nag-park eh mostly dun paharap mag-park. oh well kanya-kanya yun.
• 2008.01.17 – had dinner at international house of pancakes and johann had grand time at chuckecheese after. para syang time zone/power station dito sa atin pero msa better kse may resto na and secured pa yung lugar. they would stamp the parents and the kids arm ng number upon entering pero parang invisible ink na kailangan pa nung purple light (ano nga ba tawag dun?) para makita yung number.
  
• 2008.01.18 – toy r us naman kami this time.
  
• 2008.01.19 – we were supposed to go to ohio to visit yoly and her family. dahil nga sa eyes ni rudney eh nag-cancel kami. 6-hr drive kse yun eh. we went na lang sa aurora, illinois. almost 1.5 hr drive ata yun. we visited sri venkateswara swami temple, walter payton’s roundhouse complex and ang talagang reason bakit kami nandun is yung chicago premium outlet. konti lang naman nabili ko promise. since tamad ako mag-sukat kse ilang patong ang suot ko wala akong nabiling damit except sa shirts lang from nike na di ko sinukat.
  
• 2008.01.20 – napagod si rudney dun sa drive namin sa aurora kse sakit ng ulo nya nung sunday (o baka dahil sa nagastos ko. ) kaya nag-attend kami ng mass dun sa malapit lang sa hotel, st. mary of vernon where we met a pinoy na nag-usher dun sa church. ako na nag-drive. after ng mass drive thru lang sa kfc then uwi na rin. need ni rudney mag-rest eh. pero nung afternoon oks na si rudney so we were able to go to circuit city to buy psp ni johann.
  
• 2008.01.21 – we went to marshalls naman. its like tjmaxx din. as usual bags na naman binili ko. we had dinner sa apartment nila rudney. nag-prepare kse yung mga housemates nya ng dinner for us.
  
• 2008.01.22 – ikea naman kmi. first time ko makapasok ng ikea though lagi kong naririnig yun. hay naku, inaway ko nga si rudney kse nun lang nya kami dinala dun tapos kulang pa time namin mag-ikot. pero gusto mag-work dun as cashier.
  
• 2008.01.23 – last hirit ng chuckecheese. uwi na kse kami ng weekend.
  
• 2008.01.24 – we went to staples naman to buy my electronic label maker. i also bought an embossing label maker which supposedly cost $5 but when they punched it it only costs almost $2. wanted to go back inside to buy more kso pinigil ako ni rudney. hmp!
  
• 2008.01.25 – last night na namin sa US. had dinner sa popeye’s then went to rudney’s apartment to return his office clothes and mga kitchen appliances na dinala nya dun sa hotel.
  
• 2008.01.26-27 – byahe na kami. hinatid kami ng mga housemates ni rudney since 3 luggages and 1 box kami, di kasya sa isang car. delayed flight namin from chicago to minnesota dahil sa weather. mostly yung mga kasabay namin dun eh kasabay din namin sa connecting flight to manila. kaya ni raise nila yung concern na baka maiwan kami. so kami ni rudney nag-prepare na sya magbuhat ng bags ako kay johann, tatakbo daw kami. so when we got to minnesota good thing at may mga nag-hintay na sasakyan na maghatid sa amin sa kabilang terminal. layo rin kse yung isang terminal ha. almost 10 mins walk din yun. konti lang passenger ng papuntang japan kaya we were able to transfer seat when we want to sleep. take turns na lang kami ni rudney. when we got to japan few minutes lang boarding na though ang tagal bago nag-take off. we arrived manila 11pm na.

marami kaming side trip sa best buy, circuit city, wal-mart, bath and body works, target and others na wala kaming pictures. almost everyday kami umaalis and almost everyday may pic din kami kahit nasa room lang.

nagluto naman ako dub pero mostly fried or pang breakfast lang. i cooked spaghetti, sinigang na hipon and baboy and tinola. yun lang naalala ko. very domesticated buhay ko dun. cook ng konti, ligpit ng kalat, wash ng dishes, laundry, iron our clothes at the same time looking after johann. those who know me would attest na di talaga ako gumagawa sa bahay. tamad ako promise. pero i survived naman doing all of that.

we enjoyed our stay dun kse lagi kaming namamasyal. hehehe. seriously, we had a grand time. we were able to celebrate christmas and new year together not via webcam.  though malaki nagastos namin pero ayos lang worth it naman.