Frannywanny

"If there were no love, there's be no grief." - Zig Ziglar It just felt like a movie on repeat. The entire family inside a hospital room, quietly wiping away our tears, giving each other supportive hugs as we watch the numbers on the monitor slowly going down. One by one, we each walked closer to the hospital bed as we whispered I love yous, thank yous and basically our last messages. Four years ago, it was my beautiful Ama lying on the hospital bed. After a mad rush home from the Lion City followed by a stressful drive from the airport to the hospital, I made it in time to say my final goodbyes to the woman whom I proudly call my grandmother. Together with my parents and my sister, she and Kongkong were the center of my world for 30+ years. Her death brought about so much "what ifs", "if only" and painful acceptance that she's no longer physically here with us. Of course, the most painful of all was to see my dear Kongkong cope with the death of...

Here we are again celebrating another milestone in our lives. 7 years ago on this very same day, I officially (and legally) became Paul's wife. Funny thing was, the number seven seems to play a very important part in our lives. 7 years of dating before we got married and now, 7 years of being husband and wife before we are about to start a new chapter in our lives where we will soon be welcoming our very own babies. A lot of things can happen in the span of a year.. what more in 7 years? In the past 7 years, we've migrated to a new country and together we've adjusted to a new independent life. We both fell, picked each other up and moved on hand in hand. We've seen friends come and go. We've celebrated successes and triumphs. I can go on and on to tell you how our 7 years went but that would just be way too long for a blog post. A lot of things have changed. Aside from Paul's shrinking waistline (I love you Hunnie! hehe)  and my growing belly at the ...

I wasn't really intending to write this in my blog as I really wanted to keep my feelings private. Yes, as much as I am very open with everything else in my life, I try to keep all things related to family a secret. However, I also realized that writing has always been my outlet to express what I truly feel inside. I write when I'm happy, I write when I'm stress so it just makes perfect sense to also write now that my heart has been broken for the very first time in my life. Our relationship has always been different compared to most people. While others would regard their grandparents as elderly members of the family whom they rarely have any deep interaction with, I would say that you and Kongkong have played one of the most important roles in my life. I never felt any difficulty in telling you my thoughts and feelings. You know everything about me and Pan that it just felt so normal to share everything with you down to the tiniest details. I guess, it's because I k...

"How do you do it?" A friend of mine asked me this question a month ago when I told her that Paul and I will be celebrating our 5th year today. Time flies when you're having fun but I'll have to tell you with all honestly that it wasn't always a free and easy ride as how they would portray it in movies. Marriage, I realized, entails hard work. Well, I guess, as with anything in life, you have to work hard for what you want and I'm glad that both Paul and I want a long-lasting marriage so everyday, we work really hard for it.  Throughout this journey, there have been some tears, a million kisses and a thousand hugs. " Love is patient, love is kind ." That was what was etched onto our candle holder which I hastily bought the day before our wedding. Not really thinking much about what it meant but more because it has a pretty design. Today, that saying embodies our relationship.  Mommy would say that you'll get to learn more things abo...

Being married has surely taught us a lot of things. Mommy is right, despite being boyfriend-girlfriend for 7 years before tying the knot, she was 101% certain that there'll be a million other things that Paul and I will discover about each other the moment we start living under the same roof 24/7. It's really true when they say that mothers are always  right (and so are wives!). It has been one amazing roller coaster ride. Sure there were some unexpected turns, some twists, turns and slight bumps but I'm glad that as we go along, Paul and I are still there, holding hands and ready to go for more rounds. To Paul : Thank you for loving me and for sometime spoiling me crazy. I know I've been telling you this a million times but seriously, I really can't imagine living life without having you by my side. You've been my rock and my pillar. Thank you for being so supportive of my dreams and whims. I know that we got a bright and exciting future ahead and what ...

*SPONSORED POST* It has been said over and over again how the internet has been successful in connecting lives and building relationships. We've seen how it has been so beneficial for people like us who lives thousand of miles away from home. It allows us to keep in touch with our family to the point of making them just a short message or a voice call away. I get to be updated with every thing that is happening at home down to where my parents went for dinner. Take for example the 35th wedding anniversary of my parents which they celebrated two months ago. While I wasn't there with them physically, I saw the dishes that they enjoyed that evening and got real time photos of them blowing their anniversary cake too. At times when Mommy can't get hold of me, she would just leave a short voice message telling me about her day and reminding me to take good care of myself. With technology, the fact of having the South China Sea in between me and my loved ones can easily be negl...

11 February 2014 marks our 1st year anniversary here in the Lion City! I can't believe it has been a year since I posted this update on Facebook. I still remember it clearly, we were on our way to the airport when I wrote this post. With emotions filled with uncertainty, excitement, anticipation and a bit of hesitation (as I didn't want to live more than a thousand miles away from my family), Paul and I opened a new chapter in our lives in a foreign land with just a handful of friends around us.  Look at us now. 365 days after, we are able to smoothly adjust into our new home called Singapore. Slowly but surely, we've mastered the long walks, the public commute and was able to gain new friends too. It was surely a fun year and I have to say, it's simply because we went through this journey together.  Looking back, February has always been an eventful month in our relationship. It may be the shortest month in the year but it's one that brings so...

There's truly no place like... home . This Christmas is extra special as both Paul and I are able to catch up with friends and spend a lot of quality time with our families. I can't really imagine being anywhere else during this special time of the year without our loved ones around us. Of course, with all the bonding comes a lot of eating. We've been feasting, munching and partying for days on end! Tis the season for lots of merry-making, after all. Check this festive Christmas Stocking cake that Paul and I got from Shangri-la Hotel, Singapore . It's so pretty that I actually hesitated for a minute before slicing it. Inside, you get a moist vanilla butter cake that goes so well with a mug of hot chocolate. It's light and creamy perfect for those who wants something different from the usual Chocolate-flavored cakes. However, we also got a couple of chocoholics in the house (yes, O and Paul I'm looking at the two of you!) . They both enjoyed the Chocol...

Exactly 10 years ago, I committed to a relationship with a guy whom, to me, I felt most comfortable with. Just like in any courtship, there were those kilig  moments, surprises that left me speechless and revelations that more and more tell me that he could be the one . I guess, of all the things that I like most about him is that we get along really well. Examples would be having similar childhood memories, sharing a similar set of interests and most especially having the same intense love for food. More than being with someone I'm romantically linked to, I found a best friend . He's the kind of person whom I really look forward to spending every single day with. Thus, from that day forward, we instantly became inseparable. As a friend has pointed out, we're our own love team most popularly known as -- Paul & Fran . My old blog post in my now hidden blog. Back when I still call him JP/Jayps short for John Paul On that fateful night when I said "yes" to...

Today is #ThrowbackThursday and I'd like to share this photo with all of you: It was actually our first photo together taken during Paul's 22nd birthday exactly 10 years ago. We were not a couple then. "Just friends", as what we would tell suspecting friends and family members. Very showbiz, no? Anyway, it's Paul's special day today and I realized that I haven't actually dedicated a full blog post on him. I know he'd probably strangle me if he knows that I did anyway. He's a low profile kind of guy, shying away from the limelight yet he has always been there cheering me on. In keeping with the showbiz-ness of this blog entry, allow me to end this with my personal dedication for Paul: Dear Paul, Happy Birthday! May our future sons (yes plural) someday not only have your cute looks but may they also grow up to be the nicest, most selfless, ever supportive, loving and caring men too.  Looking forward to a lifetime of adventure with ...

11 July 2013 -- Exactly two months ago today, Paul and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. We both can't believe how time has flew by so fast! It really just felt like yesterday when we were still busy planning for our BIG day. We can still remember every single detail and moment of that wonderful day. For the past two years, Paul and I would go on a weekend staycation to celebrate our anniversary. This year, we decided to do it differently. Since we're in a new place and there are hundreds (maybe even thousands) of restaurants out there, we agreed to meet up for dinner in one of the highly recommended restaurants along the famous Yong Siak street in Tiong Bahru . Our choice for that evening was Open Door Policy (ODP). Days leading up to our anniversary, we were told by our friend I to make a reservation because the place easily gets filled up. I wasted no time in doing so as ODP luckily has an online reservation system which I find so efficient! How I wish res...

*SPONSORED POST* Here are just some of the perks of being the first born: 1) Having the entire family (and this includes the extended members too) in the hospital hours before you came into this world and the same set of people rejoicing the moment the doctor has announced that you have...arrived! 2) Getting everyone’s undivided attention to your every move and to every word you say. 3) Being able to build a relationship with everyone in the family for a longer period of time. Needless to say, from the moment I was born, I’m lucky to be loved not only by my parents but even by my aunts, uncles and most especially my grandparents. For my maternal grandparents whom I lovingly call my Kongkong (Grandfather) and Amah (Grandmother), I was their first grandchild and I would remember spending every summer breaks with them. Unlike other kids, both Pan and I loved every moment with our grandparents. Who wouldn't? As Kongkong would spoil us by cooking all the yummy dishes that ...

Last weekend, our dear friends C and I finally tied the knot. Paul and I were feeling a bit glum that we were not present to witness this beautiful union. As such, I kept myself updated by viewing all their lovely photos on Instagram. *sigh* Then, I had an idea. We should surprise them and welcome them back to Singapore as the new Mr. and Mrs. J! Now the question is…HOW??? I paced around the house trying to come up with an idea on what we can do that will surely surprise them. Remember that I recently made C a birthday banner so I needed to do something else. Then I thought of checking the Canon Singapore page out. *Ding!!!* Welcome to the Canon Creative Park ! I clapped my hands in glee and jumped around the house (okay fine..it’s more like prance around) as if I found a goldmine…well it sure does feel like it. Okay, now what to do? *rubbing her hands together* I just love how the website has ready templates and instructions for you to do your arts and craft projects. It ...

They say home is truly where the heart is . Some of you may have noticed that I haven't been updating this blog for a few days already. Well, it's because both Paul and I are extremely busy at the moment. You see, three VIPs flew in over the weekend and we've been happily taking them to our favorite restaurants, hang out places and basically showing them how our lives have been for the past months even introducing them to some of the people whom we consider like family here. These VIPs are indeed the most important people in my life.. they are my family. That's Papa, Mommy and Pan. You have no idea how excited I've been since their plans to visit us here have been finalized just a few weeks ago. Everyday, I would look forward to the day they will arrive and that is possibly the reason why I've been wearing an extremely happy smile on my face that some of my dearest friends have been noticing. I honestly didn't realized how much I missed them until I ...

A mother holds her children’s hands for a while, but their hearts forever  - Unknown While doing my research for work a couple of days ago, I chanced upon this quote and I liked it. For one, I think it's so true by just looking at how my own mommy cares for us. I've mentioned before that despite being an adult myself, I still do get my Mommy's weekly reminders -- eat well, exercise often, get enough sleep, don't stress yourself out so much, take vitamins, don't eat too many fatty/oily food, cook more veggies...and the list goes on and on. I live thousands of miles away from home and this doesn't stop my mom in sending me her daily sms to check whether I've had dinner, if I'm home and what am I doing up so late. Surprisingly, I do appreciate all these messages and nothing brightens my day than hearing from my family. Theater lovers -- Me and Mommy During one of my long walks home, I was able to think. Not about what I have to do at work, not abou...

From the moment that I got engaged, I simply thought that Paul and I will be able to have more time to spend dating, going out on regular movie nights, enjoying a weekly massage and a lot more. In other words, I never thought that after being married for two years, our schedules would turn from hectic to crazy to crazier! Every weekend, we have deliveries to attend to, a growing business to take care of and a number of functions and parties to attend. That's how our two day weekend run and we don't even have a baby to worry about yet! Our weekends are normally filled to the brim that we truly cherish rare lazy weekends with not a single thing to do. This is the reason why both Paul and I love having impromptu dinner dates that allow us to unwind and to just enjoy a really good meal. A few months ago, we got an invite to we spend a quiet night at Dusit Thani Manila 's Italian restaurant -- Tosca . We've dined at Tosca before, first, for an event for work and second, a...

How time flies when you're having fun! Two years ago, in about 14 hours from now, I walked down the aisle towards Paul and together we made a vow in front of God, our families and our dearest friends that we will stick by one another 'for better, for worse..in sickness and in health..till death do us part'. It seems like someone has pressed the fast forward button that right after our BIG day where our life officially began as husband and wife, we are now celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary TODAY ! Paul , thank you for always being so supportive. For being my number one fan and for being my toughest critic too. Everyday I thank God for bringing us together. You and me, we will ride this fun roller coaster called LIFE. Through all the ups and downs, the twists and turns, no matter what happens we'll always be on the same coach, holding hands and experiencing it all together. I will  ♥ you forever!

Love is truly in the air! ♥ Even on my delicious plate of Penne alla Russa (smoked salmon and caviar) from Cibo . Spend this day spreading the love not only to your special someone but to your family and friends as well!! *BIG HUG* p.s. this is me trying my hand at Instagram and other Apple apps. heehee

As I end this work week and am raring to start my long weekend, I came home to see my cute furry orange-brown pomeranian waiting for me. Scottie is a boy dog but instead of being fierce and scary, he's really sweet and adorable that he would wait for every single member of the family to get home before he finally sleeps at night. The moment we walk in, he would excitedly go around us turning around and around like a merry-go-round and he would sniff and lick our toes till we tell to stop. I love talking to Scottie, call me crazy but my little smart dog really do respond! Of course, he doesn't talk back (and I'm hoping he never will or that would freak me out) but check this video out on how he would react to my voice. It's totally hilarious it drove me nuts laughing for one full hour. Please ignore my nasal voice. :P I ♥ ♥ ♥ you, my dear Scottie. Stay as sweet, cute and funny as you always are.

It's almost noon yet the entire house is still fast asleep..this is except for myself, my cute little dog Scottie and our busy househelps. Spent a marvelous time with the girls last night. I'm truly blessed to have three amazing girl friends whom I truly get along with and who are real, not pretentious and are super fun to be with. :) No issues over non-issues, no bloated egos, just plain old fun over stories and laughter shared all around. It's just like going back to basic. This is what friendship is all about. It's funny that I woke up to this SMS sent by Mr Ube (of Eng Bee Tin Hopia). "Don't stress yourself with useless people who don't even deserve to be an issue in your life." I then realized I tend to be a worrier and with all the blessings that I've been getting in my life, I guess I should learn to just shrug off those that are really unimportant to me, Paul and our families. I have to focus on the heart of the matter , continue...