Best Mother's Day Celebration and Versatile Blogger Award

Mother's Day turned out to be so awesome for me. No fancy celebration, gifts or whatsoever...but I got what I want --- TO FEEL SO LOVED & PAMPERED!!!

I woke up with all these simple yet so wonderful gifts from Ryan and the girls waiting for me...


I really appreciate how Ryan deviated from the "electronic" type of gift he likes to give me. This time it's mom-friendly. Not expensive but something useful --- tees, watches, a pair of thong slide and a pair of sandals. I just love them! Of course, I also love the gifts I got from the girls! I was so touched with all the hard work they put into the posters and cards they gave me. Clarise made that PEACE poster and 2 other Mother's Day posters. But these are my favorite. She gave me this Hall of Fame Award and bookmark which she made in school...


and this lovely card which she made at home.


It felt so great to know that she appreciates everything I do for her...and I just love the way she used the letters of my name to describe me!

Cherlin also made a poster for me...the one with a lady drawn on it. She said it's me. :) And she made a lot of heart cut-outs with the word "MOM" on them. She also gave me these cards.


She didn't put any messages on them. She said she didn't know to spell all the words she wanted to put on there so she'd rather say it...and that's what she did. All day, she kept on hugging and kissing me and greeting me "Happy Mother's Day" followed by "I love you so much, Mom" and "You're the best Mom in the whole wide world". She really made me feel so loved and appreciated!

I also got a gift from my dear friend, Rachel - a Tarte Cosmetics gift set!!! It's my first time to receive a gift on Mother's Day from someone else other than my family so I'm so excited to share it with you!


Isn't it wonderful??? I really love it!

We went to church after having breakfast which Ryan prepared --- toast with eggs & bacon for the girls and oatmeal with sliced banana for me & him, which I wasn't able to take pictures of. But I tell you, it's really so nice of my husband to always be preparing breakfast not just on Mother's Day but every weekend! Actually, he prepares all the meals from breakfast to dinner whenever we're home during weekends! He's such a keeper! Love you, Rye!!!♥♥♥

After mass, we went to the newly opened Applebee's in our neighborhood. We had Tortilla Chips with Spinach & Artichoke Dip for appetizer.


Cherlin had Fried Shrimp with Fries and Clarise had Riblet Basket.


Ryan ordered Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp and I got Sizzling Cajun Steak & Shrimp.


And for dessert, we had our favorite Triple Chocolate Meltdown.


Despite the "not so good" food presentation, we had a great lunch! We went home after, and watch a movie on Netflix. Then I got the chance to take a 3-hour nap while Ryan prepared dinner. 

The Grilled Balsamic Herb Pork Chop with Romaine Lettuce Salad and Boiled Corn on the Cob that he made for me was so good! For the Grilled Balsamic Herb Pork Chop, Ryan used the following for the marinade of 6 pcs. pork chops:

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 large sprigs of fresh rosemary or 2 tbsp of dried rosemary
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp salt


I thought my lovely day would end with this very nice dinner Ryan prepared for me. But it didn't! While Ryan was doing the dishes, I checked my email and found two more surprises from two of my blogger friends. Sharlot, another Filipina blogger who  shares her life, views and accounts of her journey as a Christian via E-Sharlot gave me The Versatile Blogger Award...and Lyn, a blogger in Singapore who shares her wonderful recipes and her new found hobby of Bento-ing via My Little Messy and Cheeky gave me the same 8 awards I got last Friday. These made my lovely day even lovelier! What awesome gifts to received on Mother's Day! Thanks Sharlot & Lyn for thinking of me and choosing me for the awards! I'm truly so grateful!

I've only been blogging for less than 4 months, and I'm truly overwhelmed with all the awards I already received. I love these types of awards and recognitions from fellow bloggers! Though they don't come with real trophies, ribbons or expensive prizes, it always feels good to get a pat on the back from someone else in the blogging world! To my blogger friends from who I received awards: Sarah of Homestyle Cooking Around The World, Manu of Manu's Menu, Elisabeth of Food & Thrift Finds, Sharlot of E-Sharlot and Lyn of My Little Messy and Cheeky, thank you so much for seeing the best in me and my blog. You just don't know how happy you made me feel in knowing that there are people in the blogging world who notice my worth as a blogger!

Because I've already shared the same awards from Lyn of My Little Messy and Cheeky in my post last Saturday, I'll just share with you The Versatile Blogger Award.


I'm not sure where it originated, but I was very flattered to get tagged for this award. This came with the rule of sharing seven things about myself. But I don't want to make this post even longer, so  I'd rather let you read my previous post wherein I shared seven things about me and just do the second rule which is to pass on the award to 15 bloggers. I'm glad to pass this award on to not 15, but 16 of my most favorite bloggers (new & old) who I find to be VERSATILE in the real sense of the word:

 Adora of Adora's Box
Biren of Roti n Rice
Elisabeth of Food and Thrift Finds
Jun of Jun-Blog
Kankana of Sunshine & Smile
Katerina of Cullinary Flavors
Manu of Manu's Menu

Do check out and follow these terrific bloggers! They are really dedicated to what they do so you won't regret following their blogs!

For me, nothing tops off Mother’s Day celebration more perfectly than having a day off from the usual mommy work, that is, no cooking and no cleaning up.  But receiving such wonderful gifts from family and friends makes the celebration even more PRICELESS. 

Hope all you moms out there had a sweet day full of love just like mine. My hubby and girls, as well as my friends are so awesome. What a lucky woman I am!


26 comments:

  1. Thank you girl! You are so sweet! I'm so glad to hear you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

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  2. Thank you so much! I am honored and appreciate the award. CONGRATS on all of YOUR awards! Looks like you had a WONDERFUL Mother's Day:)

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  3. Your meal looks wonderful..amazing and delicious:))Yummy!
    I already wished you happy mother's day and Thank you so much for awarding me..I appreciate that!
    Your family is gorgeous so are you!!!

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  4. your welcome. meal looks great again by the way..

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  5. Congrats on your new Versatile Blogger Award Tina! I'm very happy for you and you really deserve all these awards! :D
    Your family are so sweet and wonderful! ^.^

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  6. What a wonderful post! You are amazing and your family is beautiful. I remember those Mother's Days when my kids were little like yours - those gifts were so precious. Of course, they still are but those handmade gifts are such treasures. How proud they are when they make them and give them - their faces light up! And thank you for another award! I'm soooo grateful, Tina. Both our blogs are young and it's fun sharing, learning and growing along with you!!! Have a great night!

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  7. Tina-I was so excited to see your Mother's Day post, all the sweet and heartwarming presents you got from your awesome family.

    So nice of you to share all these with us...the roses, the cards your adorable girls made, the lunch at Applebee's which happens to be one of my favorite place to have a quick bite.
    Such a caring and loving hubby and daughter you have. The balsamic pork chops are so yummy with the corn on the cob...perfect, and delicious!
    Last, but not least...thank you for thinking of me as well for the thoughtful award you've passed on to me, along with all the talented bloggers whom some of them I know.
    I'm proudly accepting the lovely award, and will pass it forward, as well:DDD
    xoxo

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  8. Thank you soooo much for this award Tina!!! I know... isn't it an amazing feeling to be appreciated by people who share our same passion for cooking/food?? :-)

    I am so happy you had such a special Mother's Day!!! You have an amazing family, you are really blessed. :-)

    A big hug!

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  9. Hello, Cristina. Thank you so much for the Versatile Blogger Award! You are very sweet. You made my day!!

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  10. Hi Tina, Thank you so much for thinking of me again. You have no idea how much I have appreciated your friendship over the last couple of months. About those works of art from the girls, they are so precious. My advice is to put them away in a safe place. They will put a big smile on your face when the kids are older ... now you have given me a job to do .. I need to put a smile on the face of 15 more people ....

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  11. Wow you had the best Mother's Day Tina! And your daughters are so adorable and you have such a beautiful family. Congrats on your awards and thank you so much for passing the award to me. :-)

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  12. This post has made me hungry!
    I can't wait till my daughter is old enough to draw me pictures like that. I'm a hoarder so I will save all of them! lol

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  14. Sai Tina, chi legge le cose che tu scrivi, capisce subito che tu sei buona. Buona come mamma,sposa,persona ed il principale come serva di Dio.
    Tu sei bravissima.
    Grazie mille
    Un bacio
    LU

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  15. Sounds like you had a lovely Mother's Day. It is wonderful to be appreciated. Congrats on your awards and thank you so much for sharing it with me.

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  16. This is so awsm :) Your hubby is very sweet. Mine will go and pack food and I am scared to ask him to cook.. he will mess up the whole kitchen :D
    Very sweet family you have .. God Bless Ya !!
    Thanks so much for sharing the award with me .. feel SO honored ..

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  17. I'm so glad you had a great Mother's Day. :) I loved looking at those pics.

    I'm following.

    ecwrites.blogspot.com

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  18. Lovely family, Tina. I'm glad you had a fantastic Mother's Day. Thanks for all the lovely food photos. I mis Applebee's. Haven't been in a few years now. Thanks for sharing your award with me :)

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  19. thanks tina! love your site.. dami ko na nga nakuhang recipes. :) di lng talaga madalas maka-comment. my blogs on mommy journals are actually my personal outlet. so its really nice knowing me nagbabasa :) hope you had a wonderful mothers day celebration dearie..take care.

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  20. Thanks for visiting DisneyBird! I'll be following all of your medias as well!

    Wow!! What a wonderful Mother's Day you had!! How very blessed you are!

    And oh my word, looking through your posts is making my mouth water and my tummy growl... that's not good this early in the day, lol!

    See ya soon,
    Bird

    www.disneybird.blogspot.com
    www.busymamabird.blogspot.com

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  21. Wow... dilicious. Am very happy to hear that you had a wonderful mothers day last year. I was looking for a wonderful gift for my mom for this year mothers day.

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  22. I just wanted to comment your blog and say that I really enjoyed reading your blog post here.

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  23. Greeting and Thank you for your amazing Article.
    please keep posting

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