Can't sleep!!!

grabe super excited nako...dalawang tulog na lang andito na sila!!! wooohoooo!!!

So much blessings from God, I couldn't thank enough...

I still remember this kasabihan back from high school days -

"Ang buhay parang gulong, minsan nasa taas, minsan nasa baba."

Then tie it up with the very first bible verse I have memorized:

Mark 11:24 - "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Many times in my life na totoo talaga yang dalawang yan...and what's happening in my life this year is a big addition to that...ang saya saya!

BTW...got extended until November!!! We'll celebrate Jerry and Zach's birthday here...hmmmm saan kaya maganda gawin ang celebration??? Wooohooooo!

cont'd - a Trip Report: Northeast Minnesota - Day 2

We had a nice dinner the night before at a decent resto (Bluefin Grille) - pero ang mura ha! Steak meal only costs around $15 may dessert pa yan! Since wala naman ibang matinong resto near the hotel, we opted to go back at the same resto for breakfast. We checked out at 730am - ready for another day of driving, hiking and picture-taking.

First park for the day was at Temperance River State Park...just a short hike. Kakaiba yung falls dito kasi nakatago sa malalaking bato. Sabi sa mga signs dun, malaking falls pala sya dati pero hindi na ngayon. We just stayed for a few minutes...picture-taking lang talaga.

Next destination was the town of Lutsen - specifically to the Lutsen Mountains. This is famous skiing spot during winter pero pag summer and fall, breathtaking scenic views naman ang offer nila. This is my first cable car experience. We also tried their Alpine slide. I want to go back during fall with Jerry and Zach. Matutuwa sila dito! Cable car would bring you up the mountain tapos pwede ka bumaba to go to the observation deck or to their cafe.

After Lutsen, we drove towards the Cascade River State Park. Small falls lang pero maganda ang view ng lake. Most of the parks are just less than 30 mins from each other and it's so convenient coz we just followed Highway 61 North and all of them are along the way.

Lunch time na! Luckily, there was another good resto along the way. There was a big sign that they have a fresh fish special for that day - trout! Pero hindi sya kasing sarap ng tilapia or bangus so we had to ask for soy sauce hahaha Miss ko na ang toyomansi na may sili!!!

Along the way, we saw a wayside parking (parking sa side ng way hahaha). It has a good view of Lake Superior (na naman!) so we stopped and stayed for a few minutes. Sa kasamaang palad, dito nagasgasan ang cam ni Hazel...sa lakas ng hangin tinumba ang tripod while we're doing some jump shots. Thank God hindi nabasag ang lens. Ang sarap ng hangin dito...sarap may kayakap! Haaay lalo ko namiss family ko :(

Then we drove for a couple more minutes for the last destination - Grand Marais. It was soooo cold and windy. Yung kapag ngingiti ka for picture, nangingilo ngipin mo kasi anlamig nung hangin na pumapasok hahahaha So instead of walking along their paved trails to the small lighthouse, konting picture taking lang then we decided to drive back home na.

Actually, the scenic byway is up to the border of Canada (Grand Portage) but since we only have 2 days for this trip, hindi na kaya ng powers namen.

It was almost 5pm when we left Grand Marais and I drove for about 5 hours going back to Plymouth. It was tiring but the hike, walk, long drive was all worth it! We are all looking forward to go back when the trees start changing to red, yellow and orange colors. Exciting!

Aja! Aja!

More pics here

a Trip Report: Northeast Minnesota - Day 1

(July 11-12, 2009)

My summer is starting to be busy. This marks the start of jam packed weekends.

The last destination was along the North Shore Scenic Byway. Itinerary was not the usual "Bliss' itinerary" coz I did not have much time to plan everything. Not enough research to know the duration for each destination but just created estimates to define the schedule, didn't know where in particular we are going, no GPS nor clear driving directions...BUT still, we managed to have fun, see spectacular views and go to where we should go (according to the persons we talked to in Visitor Centers hehehe). The best thing about this experience is that I have good scenic spots to use in putting into action my new photography theories using my newly purchased cam! Thanks to my G10 buddy Hazel and giggly Julz for sharing the same excitement as I have despite Marj backing out hehehe.

THE ITINERARY --

Day 1 - July 11, 2009

Leave the house at 430am, drive for around 3 and a half hours going to Duluth, MN. We should just stay there for 1.5hrs but since it is our first glance of Lake Superior, the largest lake on earth daw, we did not notice that more than 2hrs has past. We enjoyed taking a lot of pictures, throwing stones into the lake, breathing fresh air and scaring birds away hahahaha

After kaming ligawin ni Googlemaps, we were still able to find our way back to the scenic byway...Dalawa kasi pala ang Highway 61 - one is along the shore and another is a more direct route. Thanks to the garage sale lady, nakabalik kami sa tamang way at nakabili pa si Hazel ng murang angel collectibles hehehe Ang kanta naming tatlo - "mga ligaw na ladies, mga ligaw na ladies" to the tune of Single Ladies.

Next destination was at Two Harbors. Another view of the lake and their lighthouse. It was sooooo windy so we were not able to use the tripod to take pictures of us three together. We did not stay that long since we were still trying to catch up on the schedule and there's not much to see in this town.

Next stop was at the Gooseberry State Park - our first North Minnesota falls experience. According to the internet, this is a busy park since it's well known and yeba...andami ngang tao!

It was past 12noon but we were still in this park...sarap kasi magpicture! hahahaha Finally, when we finished all the trails, ayan na ang gutom. However, there were no restos along the way so we decided to just visit the next destination - Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. Our song became "mga gutom na ladies, mga gutom na ladies" hehehe

Malayo pa lang, we all read the sign for a snack bar. Woohooo! Makakain na. I ordered a bagel and salad (na lasang damo, I couldn't take the taste). Kaya ayun, na-BI ni Julz mag ice cream. Sinful!!! hahaha No pictures were taken with the lighthouse coz we need to pay $8 for entrance fee. Not worth it...so actually, kumain lang kami sa park na ito hahaha

Next stops were overlooking spots for the beautiful Lake Superior - Silver Bay town and Palisade Head spot.

Last stop for the day was at Tettegouche State Park. According to the magazines, this is where the second highest falls in Minnesota is located so I really alloted time for this park. Based from what I read, it is a 1.5mi hike...anak ng tokwa, one way lang pala yun! And this is not a paved trail and we did not see much people here as with the Gooseberry park. Siguro kasi alam nilang matagal ang lakad...but when we get to the falls area, it was 'serenity'. My favorite spot in this park is the lake before the super layong hike...it opens up to the vast lake --

And here are the falls (yes, there are two - the first is about 0.9 mi hike and the high falls is around 1.5mi hike...take note, one way lang yan)

Looking at the brighter side of things, oks naman na naglakad kami malayo. I've known Julz and Hazel at a deeper level. Si Julz, ewan ko kung dala ba yun ng less than one year pa sila kasal ng asawa nya (bwahahaha), sa 24hrs minus sleep time na trip namen, puro Zach (her hubby) ang narinig kong kwento nya...ito namang si Hazel, super game sa lahat ng bagay, positive palagi - kahet natumba ang cam sa tripod sa bato bato dahel sa lakas ng hangin at hindi ko narinig magreklamo kahet minsan. Speaking of reklamo, I'm so proud of Julz...iniwan nya ang reklamador side sa bahay nila! Kung hindi baka mabatukan ko e bwahahahaha

Anyway, that was the end of Day 1. When we arrived at the hotel (Superior Ridge), we were so tired pero syempre ligo muna. There are 2 queen beds and one matress...bunutan sino sa baba para fair hahaha

...pictures to be posted later

...story to be continued

Business Case has been approved!

...visa processing to start soon!

...the count down begins!

...22 days to go...woohoo!!!

...starting the padala list -- caldereta mix, patis (meron dito pero mahal kasi hahaha), cream silk conditioner (nauubos buhok ko sa pantene dito - antapang e!), likas papaya soap (haha)...Lily's peanut butter (di kasi masarap peanut butter dito)...what else what else what else....hmmmmmmmm

Yehey!!! I got them back!

Sa dami ng pumasok sa Liz Claiborne store from noon to closing time, walang kumuha. Pati saleslady, tinabi lang nila for me Thank God, andito na ulit yung mga shirts for pasalubong hehehe

Haaaayyyy...Sana ganito din mga tao sa Pinas.

My 3 S's for the July 4th holiday

Yes, finally...another US holiday! And that spells --

Sale - Shopping - Stupidity

"Sale and shopping", given na yan hahaha pero why "stupidity"? Kasi ba naman, when I arrived home late at night, I noticed that there are two bags missing. I went to the garage to check if it's somewhere in the car - WALA. Checked the house - WALA talaga. Checked with my friends who were with me baka napasama sa kanila - WALA....Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!! I left them somewhere in the outlet stores. Sa dami ng binili ko, I can't remember where I have possibly left it and why on earth I did not notice that I have them with me. Ang nakakainis pa nun, one bag contains a lot of t-shirts I bought on sale for pasalubong...yung tipong last piece na at ako na yung nakakuha for a cheap price. At syempre, sayang ang dolyares huhuhuhuhuhuhu

I'm going back this morning to try to retrieve it...hoping and praying that people here do have integrity....ang layo pa naman ng outlet huhuhuhuhu