Wadi Hanifah

  

     Last Friday, we, together with a group of friends, trooped down to Wadi Hanifah, a man-made water park here in Riyadh.  It was a much needed break and change of scenery especially for my husband after all the work-related stress he has experienced two weeks ago.  We stayed there for half a day (morning til lunch time) and brought food for our picnic.  The weather was perfect, although it was still a bit chilly.

preparing for breakfast...

the kids enjoyed kite flying and tireless running...

Wadi Hanifah means Running Water...

My boys are growing up...too fast that it scares me, hehe...

before lunch, we saw a truck carrying those red chairs and men set them up at the right end of the park...probably there's going to be an event later in the day...

one of the reasons why they're excited to go here is that they heard there's  a man-made water falls... we all cracked up when we saw this, no waterfalls..just this, lol...

     Though tiring, it was really refreshing to somehow enjoy the beauty of nature that Riyadh has to offer.  =)

first love never dies...

During my teens up to my early twenties, I would wake up reaching for the TV's remote control first before doing anything else...that's how attached i was to my tv set! But a couple of years ago, I realized I could totally ditch watching tv in favor of browsing the net. I am online 7 days a week and in most of my waking hours (especially when you're living in a foreign land, unemployed and usually stuck at home, hehe).

I haven't been spending a lot of time online for the past few days..because i have been reunited with my first love (the real one) - reading.. =)

 

I bought and read this book two years ago and i'm rereading it now.. as they say, reading something the second time around is way better than the first, and i totally agree! I haven't read Picoult's My Sister's Keeper (the one which was turned into a movie) yet but i'm planning to get it on my next trip to the bookstore.

I realized I could never ever turn my back  to something which has been with me during the crucial stages of my teenage life.. =)

**I had a collection of  Sweet Dreams and R.L. Stein and i even placed a number to each of them (around a hundred soft bound pocketbooks) and i lost them all! I left them at my grandparents' house when I got married and when they had the house renovated they were gone..sigh...

 

thrift finds

i have always wanted to go thrift shopping in the Philippines yet i don't know where to go to and who to tag along..so i find it funny that i was able to do that here in Saudi Arabia..in HARAJ! the place is huge and you can find almost anything..and i mean anything, in it..from clothes, to shoes, bags, appliances, furnitures, accessories..they have second hand stuff as well as brand new items..too bad we weren't able to get some pictures of the place..one whole day is not enough to explore it..

i'm not that happy with my loots though, because i thought i could have gotten better items if only we weren't in a hurry..plus my husband kept on sneezing, i was beginning to feel embarrassed, lol...

i love the skirts i scored and i'm excited to wear the  black and white floral one as a tube dress on our upcoming anniversary..i also love the A/X armani exchange sweat shirt i got for hubby and the miss sixty bag..
i also bought lots of stuff for the kids..all in all we were able to take home 8 bags for roughly 60 saudi riyals or 16 US dollars! =)

thinking aloud..

i believe my body's just fine and i really have nothing to complain about (except for my slow metabolism). But i really don't feel healthy..there are times when i would catch my breath after reaching for something over my head. I easily get tired probably because of lack of exercise. i'm considering some yoga positions and i want to commit myself to do them everyday..even for just a few minutes in the morning..

rocking boat

upward dog stretch

1 minute plank pose

bent-leg boat raise and lower

but then i know yoga makes you sweat alot..and that's a problem..I DON'T LIKE SWEATING...so good luck to me.. lol..

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/bikini/4-yoga-moves-for-a-slimmer-middle-2046312/

HELLOOOO!!!!

i missed blogging...
i missed my daily reads...
i missed commenting on awesome posts...
i missed my daily routine...

last week we went to the mall to look for some stuff for my husband and i chanced upon this dress from Pull and Bear which is a left-over from the recently concluded (hehe) sale season here in Riyadh. I got it for 59 saudi riyals which is still a bit too high for me but considering its original price at SR119, it's still a good deal, right?

note: gray fabrics were originally not part of the dress...

as soon as we got home i noticed its a racerback dress - which i'm really not comfortable wearing . i don't wanna return it nor have it exchanged because i really love its floral print and color...so i worked on a little magic..haha

i took out an old tank top and cut out the edges and hand-sewn them on the back part of the dress..

then to make it appear really part of the dress, i attached a piece of the front part of the tank top to the neckline of the dress and voila! i'm more comfortable in it now, hehe.

don't mind my stitches...  =)

oh, and it's also kinda short for me so i would probably (or definitely!) wear leggings with it, unless i'd wear it to the beach - in the Philippines, that is..or any country other than Saudi Arabia, lol...

it's good to be back!

task #2

"the meaning behind your blogger name."

While it's true that eversince i was in highschool i have always pictured myself as a loving housewife and a doting mom to my would-be family, in real life you'd get sort of a rollercoaster ride of emotions while you're at it..

I named this blog "A Drama Queen Housewife's Tale" because for one, i'm really a cry-baby, i tend to be paranoid, i usually worry a lot (most times about things that shouldn't bother me at all), second, as a SAHM this blog gives me something to do for my self, i could vent out if i want to, and leaves me a sense of identity (what i want, how i feel and who i am apart from being a mom and wife), and lastly, i want to share what life is here in the kingdom (atleast from our family's perspective).

Have a great day everyone!!! =)

task #1

So here's day 1 (or maybe I'd change that to TASK #1) of the 30 Day Challenge..
"A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself"

this is my recent photo with my husband (taken last July 16 at a friend's pizza party)..very glamorous indeed, hehe..it's not a very good picture of me but i don't wanna cheat and take a profile/headshot just for the task..

I don't know if these are interesting but they sure are facts as far as I know, haha!
1. i love anything sweet.
2. i don't eat rice (but i will and i can if a have to).
3. i don't eat beef (because i have a slow metabolism).
4. i can eat 1 whole cake in a day.
5. i learned to eat bell pepper only last June 2010 and I'm loving it (thanks to my husband).
6. i'm super scared of ghosts and other supernatural stuff but i love watching horror flicks.
7. i love to shop (yet i'm not shopaholic).
8. i couldn't sleep alone up until now.
9. i get goosebumps everytime i see a kitten - i don't know why..
10. i love to sing.
11. spaghetti is my comfort food.
12. i learned to REALLY cook only 2 years ago.
13. i got married at 22 and had my first child at 23.
14. i didn't dream of becoming a teacher/educator yet i taught for about 7 years (i find it tedious yet very fulfilling).
15. i didn't like coffee until i got married to my husband and now i'm a certified coffee-addict averaging 4 cups a day! =)

Kalas! (finish)
Now i'm excited for the next task!!! =)

this is exciting...

I saw this 30 Day Challenge from lovely Aisa of ipaxme.blogspot.com and want to give it a shot myself..i'm excited..plus it gives me something to write about everyday (if not, whenever i can, hehe)..I'll probably start tomorrow though (or tonight) =)

Day 01- A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself DONE
Day 02- The meaning behind your Blogger name DONE
Day 03- A picture of you and your friends
Day 04- A habit that you wish you didn’t have
Day 05- A picture of somewhere you’ve been to
Day 06- Favorite super hero and why
Day 07- A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
Day 08- Short term goals for this month and why
Day 09- Something you’re proud of in the past few days
Day 10- Songs you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad
Day 11- Another picture of you and your friends
Day 12- How you found out about Blogger and why you made one
Day 13- A letter to someone who has hurt you recently
Day 14- A picture of you and your family
Day 15- Put your iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play
Day 16- Another picture of yourself
Day 17- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
Day 18- Plans/dreams/goals you have
Day 19- Nicknames you have; why do you have them
Day 20- Someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future
Day 21- A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 22- What makes you different from everyone else
Day 23- Something you crave for a lot
Day 24- A letter to your parents
Day 25- What I would find in your bag
Day 26- What you think about your friends
Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge
Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?
Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned
Day 30- Who are you?

I'll rest the case (pillow cases) and rest my hands as well!

I wasn't feeling well yesterday and only dragged myself into getting the important daily routines done (like cooking, feeding the kids and attending to their needs while they study). For the rest of the afternoon i just sat in front of the tv set and while i find it hard to move around, I got bored and decided to just make use of the idle time to do something productive.

This is our spare pillow which has been sitting in the closet for 2 years now..

I cut it into two to make decorative pillows..

then I put out the fabric we bought from IKEA last April (2 dollars a yard) and hand-sewn 2 pillow cases..

I was so into sewing that i was able to make 3 more pillow cases for the boys' small bedroom pillows..


After almost 3 hours, my eyes were tired and I had tons of needle pricks which made my fingers hurt..but i was happy!

I'm thinking of buying a portable sewing machine since i discovered sewing satisfies me a lot..plus, i'm planning on making my own clothes and repairing old ones. Actually i made a skirt about a month ago but it doesn't fit right since i don't really know the basics of cutting fabrics. But i'm excited to start again since i got a good tip from a pretty blogger named Linda when she posted a DIY skirt tutorial in her blog. Here it is.. http://littletinsoldier.tumblr.com/puffyskirt (note to self: must learn how to insert links!)

Have you done some DIYs? =)

real trips: DRESS OVERLOAD

when it comes to clothes, i'd choose a dress over a pair of jeans any time. but it was only recently that i learned about the basic dress cuts, seriously. While watching a re-run of Rachel Ray, one of the segments caught my attention and dragged me to get my handy-dandy (read: humongous) notebook and pen.

in my own little way, let me present to you 5 different types of dress cuts we can choose from depending on our body types..

note: in as much as i would love to rummage my clothes to give examples, i don't have enough dresses with me right now as the bulk of them were left in the Philippines . so i just opted to search the web for images. here they are...


A-LINE - fitted top, flared bottom to ignore the waist and hips

for the pear-shaped or bottom-heavy, this is a good choice 'cause it accentuates the trunk. (plus, A-line dresses always make me feel like a real lady - or a princess to an extent (no, make that queen! haha)

photo from omg.yahoo.com


Ruy Sanchez-Blanco (www.glamour.com)

SHEATH - close fitting dress to suggest the form and curve of a woman's body

if one's athletic or muscular, then this is the perfect dress cut. (I can wear it to cocktail parties but i'm not really into form-fitting clothes - make me feel very uncomfortable)

photo by Todd Selby (www.glamour.com)


stylebible.ph

SHIRT DRESS - now labeled as a universal outfit due to its versatility (can be worn with jeans, leggings, with or without belt) and can suit almost all figures

this dress makes one feel relaxed. it can be casual and chic at the same time..it can be worn in the office, while running errands, day at the beach, etc, etc.. (my personal favorite!)

shine.yahoo.com


from stylebible.ph

TRAPEZE - triangle-shaped dress, not fitted, no waist (but can also be worn with a belt)

for those not comfortable showing bulges in the stomach area then this is the dress for you. it gives attention to the arms and legs so it makes one feel sexy even if it's a loose dress. (i also like this style - sexy yet conservative)

alternativeoutfitters.com


photo from totallyher.com

WRAP DRESS - a "girl's suit". it has got to be the most timeless dress style in a woman's wardrobe

it acentuates curves and gives a slimming image thus it's great for curvy women.



wrap dress photos from dealrocker.blogspot.com


that's me on the left(standing) wearing a trapeze dress. that was back in the Philippines last February when i attended my co-teacher and close friend's daughter's (center, standing) 18th birthday party..

my prescription glasses fell and broke while i was in the philippines, so upon returning to riyadh i had it replaced..

i'm so excited to wear my new glasses (even if it means using it only in front of the computer, hehe)..

but the real catch is i got this beauty for free! (READ: courtesy of hubby's company's insurance)..if converted to peso this D&G baby costs roughly around P11,000 - fact: everything 'round here is tax-free..

i wonder how much this would have cost me if i bought it in the P.I. - where everything is overpriced!

something new and something to let go...

i'm in love with this dress and my mom likes it, too..i'll have it shipped to her this week..i'm having a hard time letting it go but hubby doesn't like it on me so i made up my mind to say bye...(what a dirty mirror, tsk!)


anyway, loving the new bangles i got from pull and bear =)

**crappy photos- i'm only using a point and shoot camera...

coffee sunday

thank heavens for girl friends..met with my best friend lui and went coffeeshop-hopping the whole sunday afternoon..i love going out with my husband and 3kids but there are just some things that you enjoy only when you're with your girl friends..non-stop talk about food, clothes, shoes, family life and all things girly =)

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas...

it's the time of the year again when almst everyone starts thinking of gift ideas for christmas..well, to turn the table a little, i decided to think of whta i want to get this christmas instead of what i would be giving, haha..

here they are:

1. book - the diary of a young girl by anne frank
2. book - the devil wears prada by lauren weisberger
3. book - confessions of a shopaholic by sophie kinsela
4. shoes - schu's black pumps with detachable spats
5. phone - blackberry or nokia e63 =)
6. food - blueberry cheesecake or chocolate mousse (un buo ha, hindi isang slice, hehe)
7. gift certificate to a spa treatment (pwede din cash ibigay, haha)
8. damet pampasko (new clothes) for my 3 kids (top and bottom ha)
9. vintage notebook/laptop bag (brown)
10. trip and treat to an ukay-ukay store, weeehh

men's shirt

Whenever I go out, I usually feel excited because I love dressing up or dressing down. I usually decide on what to wear a day before and sometimes I have my 'pre-wear' (I fit in my clothes before i actually wear them for an event or an occassion -don't know if there's a right term for that.

Most of my clothes were left in the Philippines since I only stay here every other six months. With limited clothes, I usually become bored with my outfits..that's when I had the idea of transforming my husband's old clothes into mine.

The first pic shows my husband's short-sleeved polo turned into a sleeveless shirtdress. I wore it with a high-waisted shorts (formerly my husband's black long pants).

The second pic also shows the shirtdress, i even made the cut-out sleeves into a belt, haha.

I'm enjoying this project so much that my husband fears of losing all his clothes to mine, lol...