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

Chris of Gourmet Fashion

Elisabeth of Food and Thrift Finds

Jenn of Worth a Knit and Worth a Fig

Jun of Jun-Blog
Kankana of Sunshine & Smile

Katerina of Cullinary Flavors

 Kim of The Farmer's Wife

Lin Ann of Vittles and Committals

Lu of Cusina Di Casa Da Lu

Lynette of Pinay Travelogue and Mommy Journals

Manu of Manu's Menu

Nami of Just One Cookbook
Sandra of Sandra's Easy Cooking

Sue of Munchkin Munchies

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!