Andi Dela Torre Griffiths
- Feb 29

The Little Moments, They Add Up | Life Lately

Hello, I hope life's been great for you. We are entering March soon, and wow. I say it a lot, but time does fly fast. Today, I'll share some of what's been up lately.

Just Life, Lately

January was great. It was the start of the year, and most people I knew were in reset mode. Of course, starting over is something you can do anytime, but I guess doing it in the new year is exciting for many (myself included).

Coffee, cake, water, and tiger balm lol.

We went back home on the second week for Papa’s birthday celebration. We also got to see my cousins Kuya Jepoy and Josh. I did a lot of journaling at this time. The stickers I got from Mr. DIY got me excited. I found new designs perfect for my diaries and planners.

Journal Stickers from Mr. DIY Philippines | Memento Vivere | A Lifestyle Blog by Andi | Philippines

Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, and Birthdays

I heard the fireworks at Manila Chinatown in Binondo were magnificent, but since it's far from where we live, we just went to see the one in Arcovia (we like it here because it's close and there is a lot of walking space). There was also a dragon dance performance, which is said to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.

Chinese New Year in the Philippines is something many Filipinos participate in, especially in Binondo, the oldest Chinatown in the world.

Arco de Emperador at Arcovia City in Pasig

R: Before the fireworks, L: A lot of construction going around

For Valentine’s Day, my husband took me out; we had a brunch date at a nearby restaurant cafe. My nose was so stuffy I sounded like a minion lol, and it was quite challenging to laugh and smile with all the congestion, but we had a relaxing time.

Valentine's day celebration/ brunch date 🌺

We stayed there for quite a while, grabbed pizza, then went home. I drank so much Salabat (fresh ginger tea) that same afternoon because I didn't feel well and didn't want to get sick. Many people were coughing and sneezing when we were outside.

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My friend’s mom planned a surprise birthday celebration for her, so we attended while we were here, and it was fun. We enjoyed the games they prepared, and the Jollibee mascots were complete. I love Twirlie! She is so cute.

Jolibee mascots | Mr. Yum, Twirlie, Hetty, Jollibee, and Popo

Snaps

Just some more photos from this month's camera album. After a traumatic experience in the province when my in-laws were at war (this lasted for years during the pandemic), the last thing I want is to stay there for a long time, it's got a different vibe. Anyone who got involved with them had a hard time. My FIL, in particular, is just something else. If I had the capability to heal people instantly from emotional wounds so they do not inflict pain upon others, I would have already done so. Anyway. What matters is that we have a great family support system, and I am very thankful for that- especially to my loving parents.

Where there is family, there is food lol 🍲

Collage | Memento Vivere | A Lifestyle Blog by Andi

More photos from the camera roll 📷

Cute Contest Prize

I joined an online contest for fun and won. I joined an online contest for fun and won. The mechanics were: (1) to write a letter to my future self using any Pilot products, and (2) post a photo of it in the comments section- so that's what I did.

Dear Future Self promo by Pilot Pens Philippines | Entry

I enjoyed writing the letter and was one of the winners. The special gift arrived a few days later, and it was a set of highlighters with a cute teddy bear chain. Of course, I could have just bought them myself if I wanted to, but the joy was in the journey; in participating. Thank you, Pilot! These are really nice.

Pilot Pens' Spotliters (refillable highlighters)

Pasig City Emergency Go Bag

Our local government has started giving away Emergency Go Bags, and I am happy with the contents. It is a fully equipped bag, almost complete with the essentials. I'm going to make a separate post about it soon. Below is a photo of a kit included in that bag. Edit: I've uploaded a YouTube video showing the contents of this blog, you can watch it here.