A Day in the Life

Kids: Kimmy's birthday at Kidzville, The Podium

2012-11-17T22:30:00.000+08:00

November 17, 2012

Today is Kimmy's 1st birthday and we've been invited to attend. Den and Tracy spent the night here so that they can attend the party with us. The kids were already excited because they know they can play in the playroom for an indefinite period of time :) Den and Tracy spent the night and apparently Dylan wanted to camp out with them. Look at that smile while crawling all over Dylan :D

So, at the party, the kids participated in the games although, at one point, Dylan became overwhelmed and simply returned to his seat :)

We had fun because there was a lot of food choices. Ruthie really did a great job with the planning and she knew what the kids and adults would want to eat. There was a corn dog stand, a french fries stand, a taco stand and there was a separate group of main course for adults and kids.

After the kids had their fun, eating and playing, we went to SM Megamall, but first, some picture taking opps at Cinderella's carriage just outside of the Podium.

We had dinner at Amici because Den was craving some good food. I guess she was deprived LOL The kids shared a serving of spaghetti, Patrick had the lasagna, I forgot what Den ordered, and I had a spicy pasta (which was a first for me!). It was our first time to eat here and there were a lot of people but we were able to find seats immediately. The wait was considerable but the food was delicious!

Here are the kids with stuff they got from their loot bags. Dylan loved the Lego glasses and the necklaces :)

Kids: Trip to SM City Sta. Mesa

2012-11-12T16:13:00.000+08:00

November 12, 2012

Dylan and I don't often get the chance to go off on our own so when the opportunity to go somewhere together came up, we did!

Together, Dylan and I went to SM City Sta. Mesa. It's been a while since we last visited SM Sta. Mesa although when my mom was alive, this was where we usually shopped since it was the most accessible to us by public transportation. Lately, we've been going to Mall of Asia and Cubao because there were more shopping possibilities there and I guess having a car meant that you can really drive anywhere you want to go.

Anyway, we couldn't resist taking a picture with the Christmas display at the entrance.

This was the Christmas display at the Ground Level inside the mall.

Who could resist Gingey at the Food Court?

I was actually surprised at the new Cyberzone level at the top floor and the numerous new food choices at the Food Court. The Supermarket has also been renovated and enlarged if I remember correctly. Maybe we'll keep coming back now that we know what's new at SM City Sta. Mesa.

Dinner with the Peredos

2012-11-04T15:28:00.000+08:00

November 03, 2012

It is always a pleasure to discover that friends whom you haven't seen in a long time are now back in town. You would heaven and earth to be able to meet up with them just for the pleasure of being with them even if it's just a short while. Filipinos will probably agree with me that when balikbayans come home, there schedules are so hectic, it's like they're celebrities with everyone wanting a chance to be with them from here to there :) You suddenly have a lot of family to be with.

Well, when Keith and Janice came home, Patrick was ecstatic so say the least. It has been a long time since he last saw the couple and it was poignant for him too that he wasn't there when they got married. At least, this time, they were back and he didn't intend to miss the opportunity. So off we went to Keith's house in Project 2 for dinner.

It was the perfect timing too because it was the semestral break so the kids were able to come with us. Dana is Keith's godchild and he wasn't here when Dana got baptized so this will be their first time seeing her. It will also be the first time we're seeing Kayla, Jan and Keith's first child :)

So we arrived early and the kids were immediately enamored of the tree deck and were letting their imaginations run wild! The evening was spent catching up on years of news and reminiscing about fun older times. The food was superb! The drinks free-flowing. We had so much fun it was already 3AM when we all went home. :)

We all hope that it doesn't take another 10 years before we see each other again, Keith and Jan! Johann we missed you this time! :)

Cars: Axe Bikini Car Wash

2012-10-28T12:39:00.000+08:00

October 27, 2012

You know I consider myself lucky that I get to enjoy the weirdest pleasures with my family. This time, our adventure was courtesy of Axe Philippines and their promo "Axe Anarchy Island Bikini Car Wash". If I remember correctly, Patrick joined their contest and he had to post a picture of his car that really needed a good wash. Well, if you left Stanley outside on the street for a day, expect that he'll be covered in dust and grime immediately considering the volume of vehicles that pass by on a daily basis. So, in short, his photo got him registered for the event and on that Saturday, we all trooped to Mall of Asia to attend the Axe Bikini Car Wash not with Stanley but with Viktor, the Volvo test unit that Patrick had for the weekend.

The Axe Girls

Shelter from the Intense Heat

With Viktor, the Volvo

There were two batches of cars to be washed based on how early you were at the event. We were fortunate enough to be the first of the 2nd batch so that gave us time to watch how everything was supposed to go. First, there were 10 car wash bays, 5 on each side. Each car is assigned a number as they register and will go into their corresponding car wash bay. Each car wash bay is also assigned two girls to wash the car in the bay. It was really Patrick's day because one of the girls that was assigned to wash Viktor was his crush, Yassi Benitez :)

Here were some of the girls who were assigned to the other vehicles :)

The kids had a blast because they were inside the car while it was being washed which was a first for them. :) Needless to say, Patrick also enjoyed himself immensely from his vantage point in the car. Meanwhile, I just took the opportunity to have our picture taken with the hosts of the event.

On our way out after the event, there were some props laid out near the exit and we just couldn't resist taking pictures with them :)

After this fun event, we went to SM Mall of Asia for dinner and we chanced upon the Shell Ferrari Lego exhibit and the kids got their picture taken there as well :) All in all it was a really fun day!

Kids: Dylan's UN Day

2012-10-28T11:00:00.000+08:00

October 27, 2012

One of the regular school activities in October is the United Nations Day. Fortunately for us, it was just Dylan who will have to invest in a costume and this year, he was saddled with Peru for his country. It was lucky that Peru has an easy native costume to replicate and all we had to do was buy a decent hat for Dylan.

The kids paraded around the school and then proceeded to the venue where they held their activities.

Kids: Dylan's 2012 Field Trip - Part 3 - Casa Santa Jardin de Miramar

2012-09-23T11:38:00.000+08:00

September 22, 2012

Now, we've come to the last part in Dylan's Field Trip. We've saved the best for last because our last destination was the Casa Santa in Jardin de Miramar in San Isidro, Antipolo City. It was funny because going there our buses could hardly fit on the road and they had a hard time making it through the curves. It's the right time to visit Casa Santa seeing as it's now the start of the "BER" months and Christmas is just around the corner. When we arrived, we spent our time eating our lunch at the great garden while waiting for the puppet show to be set up.

I just had a beef to settle with some of the parents during the trip. We were expressly told to bring packed lunches and I even woke up pretty early to manage that. Well, what do you know? Along the way, we had to wait for these parents to BUY their lunches from the Jollibee store we passed and it took a while so those of us who actually followed the rules had little time to eat!! grr! I could understand that the administration of the school wanted to please everyone but really, you have to stick to the rules because it's unfair to those of us who followed them.. okay so back to your regular programming...

The puppet show was a hit with the kids who had been recharged since everyone has just had their lunch. Their excitement was contagious and their happiness was boundless. Picture taking after the puppet show had to be contained because everyone wanted to be the first. Fortunately, Dylan was among the first.

After the puppet show, we had some time to burn because another tour group which was ahead of us are still in the Casa Santa so we were told we can explore the whole place until it was time for us to go in. So, Dylan and I just took our time walking around the vast garden. Honestly, it was such a restful place because of all the greenery. We were content to remain outside :)

Check out the pictures we took in this slideshow:

Now, if you viewed the slideshow, you may have seen excerpts of Santa's house. Casa Santa really is a small house full of Santa and Christmas-related artifacts. It's like being transported to the North Pole and you kinda expect elves to come out and show you around. The house itself is pretty small so if your tour group is a bit large, you may have difficulty going around all at the same time, which is why they segregate the groups to accommodate just the right amount of people inside. Dylan particularly liked the Star Wars Christmas toys they had on display. :)

We took our time going around since we were the last tour group for the day. There was so much to see although you have to be careful of the little items on display and some are really fragile. That was a problem with some of the kids whose "energy" couldn't be contained and they had to be escorted out hehehe

From here, we visited the Antipolo Church on the way home and we took time to buy "pasalubong" like cashew nuts and suman.

That was such a fitting end to a really tiring but fun day. This is one reason why I love going on educational field trips with my kids. I, too, learn so much from it and it's a great bonding moment for all of us because we all take away precious memories from them.

Kids: Dylan's 2012 Field Trip - Part 2 - Dolljoy Museum

2012-09-23T10:30:00.000+08:00

September 22, 2012

Now we come to the 2nd Part of Dylan's Educational Field Trip. To see what happened during the first part, check out this post. For the 2nd part, we all proceeded to the Dolljoy Gallery and Museum in Caniogan, Pasig to see how dolls and stuffed toys are made. They have different collections of dolls and stuffed toys which everyone loved taking pictures with and the first part of the tour involved everyone walking through their exhibits. Check out this giant panda that Dylan's hugging :)

Apart from the exhibits, the kids were asked to participate in a "Dress your own Doll" activity. Boys were given male soldier dolls to put together and Dylan enjoyed this activity :)

This was a fun activity because it was timed so the kids were really excited and were racing to finish dressing up their respective dolls.

Continuing with the tour, our next destination was the simulation room where you get to see a sampling of what goes on in the making of dolls. Everyone saw where they made the hair and how it was styled for a specific doll and how they painted the faces on. Imagine all the work that goes into one doll. Everything was hand-painted by these artists. We even saw how they put the stuffing into the stuffed toys!

Since we took a lot of pictures, I just put them together in a slideshow so you can see the other dolls in their collections.

Our last stop was at the Casa Santa at Jardin de Miramar.

Kids: Dylan's 2012 Field Trip - Part 1 - Meralco Museum

2012-09-23T09:30:00.000+08:00

September 22, 2012

Today, it is Dylan's 2012 Field Trip. Though it was hard for him to wake up so early, once he found out that today was his field trip, he got up in no time at all. They were going to have a full day ahead so it was essential to start out early. The assembly time was at 630 AM and the first stop was going to be at the Meralco Museum. Here he is in the bus looking a little sleepy and there we are at the parking lot of Meralco in Ortigas. Apparently, we arrived early and they were still setting up. That was T. Karen with us.

I honestly didn't have any idea what to expect when we got inside. But, I wasn't disappointed. There was a lot you can learn about electricity and the history of Meralco (which they showed through a film showing although I don't think the kids have any appreciation for that). The kids loved the interactive parts of the museum, like where they can hop on and off on the tram, generating power through manipulation of the exhibits and turning the light switches on and off.

The highlight for Dylan was being able to ride in the Meralco bucket truck. He also loved taking pictures with the huge trucks around the parking lot :)

Here are some of the pictures we took while we were there.

After the Meralco Museum, we all proceeded to the Dolljoy Museum in Pasig see next post.

Cars: Hyundai Lateral Drift

2012-09-08T23:52:00.000+08:00

September 08, 2012

Today's event is the Hyundai Lateral Drift challenge held at the Luneta Grandstand. When Patrick mentions that he's going to an event and that we may tag along, we don't usually question what goes on and we just find out when we get there.

To our surprise, the event was about cars fighting for the top spot in Drifting. We were aware that there's a rapidly growing car drifting fan base in the Philippines having attended several of these competitions in Greenhills and Eastwood. So, it was nice that it was held at the Luneta Grandstand because at least you can actually see the cars drifting and yet be far away enough to be out of danger in case the cars spins out of control.

While waiting for the event to start, guests were treated to a buffet. Dana really enjoyed eating their nachos and ordinarily she would ask one of us to accompany her to the buffet table, but in this instance, she kept going back by herself which just goes to prove that she loved the nachos so much she was able to overcome her shyness. I think she went back three times! :)

Dylan on the other hand was more interested in watching the cars drifting than in eating. It was thrilling but it felt painful to watch when one of them makes a mistake costing them their position in the running. There was one that ended up scraping his car on the sidewalk! Ouch!

After, there was a drifting exhibition showing off the new Genesis Coupe. The cars were driven by Atoy Llave and Gio Rodriguez. You can find the video from Top Gear Philippines here.

Kids: Dana's 2012 Field Trip Part 2 - Zoobic Safari

2012-09-02T22:45:00.000+08:00

September 02, 2012

After an entertaining day at the Ocean Adventure (see previous post), the 2nd half of the field trip was devoted to Zoobic Safari, a 25-hectare amusement park with a variety of animals and activities, complete with tour guides to assist you on your way.

Dana and I were both excited to be here since this will be our first time to see what they have in store for us.

At this point, even though we've been trudging on for half a day, our energy still hasn't waned.

The first thing that happened was each bus/vehicle that comes through the gate gets assigned a tour group and a tour guide. You will then follow instructions mandated by the tour guide to keep everything organized. Our first stop was an introduction to all the animals that you'll see in the park. We were asked to sit on bleachers while the host explained what Zoobic Safari was all about. Then came the animals. Everyone was so excited! My fear was kids may fall off from the bleachers because we were so high up. There were a number of tour groups that day. This slideshow sums up the animals that went on parade.

Our next stop was the Serpentarium behind the bleachers. I don't know if it was just me but it was rather scary.. It was dim and musky (which is what cold-blooded creatures love) but they do have a great collection of animals that you can't see anywhere else, like the skink and the albino python.

After a chilling walk through the Serpentarium (Dana and I aren't fans of reptiles), we were led to the aviary, which was kind of reminiscent of the aviary in Jurassic Park III. We entered a wide cage and you can walk among the birds inside. Some of them were still in cages though, especially the small ones. There was a portion there where the kids can feed the birds, I think it was P10 or P20 per a handful of seeds. I wasn't able to take a decent phot because the birds lapped up those seeds in a second! :) Dana said that although she was a bit scared at first, it was fun because it tickled :)

We kept on walking some more, not sure when we left the aviary though, because if you didn't pay attention, you may just find yourself in a different tour group. Anyway, we saw a bear cat, a camel and a full-grown lion whose roars and growls you can hear from afar. It was chilling because it was so deep and primal. I think he was antsy because he kept walking around near one of the lionesses in the cage.

Then on to the highlights of this field trip - Feeding the tigers from an enclosed vehicle at close range. This was one part of the trip that I was really looking forward too. Dana was excited and scared at the same time. To feed the tigers, you need to purchase chickens from them. Since there was only a limited number of passengers per jeep, parents just paired off and we all pitched in to buy enough chickens. As soon as we boarded the jeep, the kids couldn't stop screaming even though the tigers weren't visible yet!

Once they came out, one pounced on top of the vehicle and ate a chicken that was conveniently placed there. It was hard to take pictures because the roof was frosted (or just dirty). Once the tigers moved to the sides of the jeep, you can practically hear everyone's heart pounding. These guys were huge and can snap your head clean off and they snapped those chickens in a jiffy. But these tigers were used to being fed this way. They weren't like "attacking" the jeep or anything like that. So maybe it was kind of a letdown for me because they seemed tame hehehe

What gave me such a scare was when we stopped at a warehouse type of building where there more tigers in cages. I think they called this "A walk on the wild side". You walk next to these cages and your path is about half a meter wide so you're really, really close to the tigers. You have to watch out because they can spray you with their pee to mark their territory. You can literally touch them if you dare! This white tiger was at the end of the building. It was such an adventure! The other parents didn't want to go inside and they missed out on a lot :)

The tour guide mentioned that there was another lion at the far end of the building because his cage was being renovated. You can hear the growls and roars too.

Next stop was the Croco Loco, which you can probably assume that it's going to be plenty of crocodiles. Well, you guessed right! :) They were huge !! The way they made the pens was that you were actually walking on top of the crocodiles, on steel and iron bars and fences. So, you're looking down on them and from the sides. One parent even made a disbelieving comment, "Totoo ba yan?", roughly translated to "Are they real?" because the crocodiles were just lying there with their mouths open. Until one of them made a move and everything went haywire hahahaha When the big one suddenly moved, all the small ones scampered off and all the parents who were looking at them at close range suddenly scampered back too and started screaming LOL Too bad I didn't have a video of that LOL

The last stop of the tour was where they put together the bones of the animals who died. It's kind of like a Fossil/Bone museum. The fur of the Bengal Tiger was very smooth to the touch and if you imagine it, alive and breathing, it really was a magnificent animal.

So that was Dana's Subic Field Trip. I hope you had a good time reading through the posts, looking at the pictures and reminiscing with us.

Kids: Dana's 2012 Field Trip - Part 1 Ocean Adventure

2012-09-02T22:43:00.000+08:00

September 02, 2012

After a hectic week preparing for Dylan's Linggo ng Wika, September 2 dawned very, very early for me since Dana and I had to get ready for her Field Trip and we were supposed to be at her school by 530AM. I barely had any sleep but parents really trudge on for the love of their kids :)

Their field trip this year was held at the Ocean Adventure and the Zoobic Safari. Since we've been to Ocean Adventure before, Dana wasn't as excited about it but I told her that there may be new exhibits or added attractions that she may find entertaining and educational. We weren't disappointed.

The tour at Ocean Adventure started with the Walk on the Wild Side exhibit where the kids were taught about forest and domesticated animals. Then there was a new attraction called the "African Balancing Act" which features African men performing wild acrobatic balancing acts. The kids loved it! The highlight for Dana was after the show when the kids were given a chance to have their pictures taken with the performers. One of them picked her up for the shot! :) Was she surprised! :P It was such a memorable event for her! :D

The next stop was lunch which was part of the tour package. After that, we went directly to the Sea Lion Marine Patrol Show. The venue was also new and featured a new pool for the sea lions to play in. Expect to get a little wet since the seats are close to the pool, but it's fun! The only drawback was that the light will mostly be in your way when you take pictures but other than that, it was entertaining.

With the Sea Marine Patrol show over, we all proceeded to the Dolphin Show. It was rather hot where we were seated and you're not allowed to open any umbrellas because you'll be obstructing the view of the people above you. It was a good thing that Dana had a light sweater and she wore the hood on her head (she's prone to nose bleeds from the heat). I was able to great pictures of the dolphins though :)

The final leg of the tour was at the Ocean Adventure Aquarium where there are displays of various type of fish indigenous to Subic Bay and the South China Sea.

After coming out of the aquarium, there was a bit of rest period so kids can either eat some snacks or just while the time away.

Meanwhile, you can take a look at these slides to show you more pictures taken during the Field Trip. The first presentation is mostly of Dana :) The 2nd presentation is all about the animals of Subic.

Enjoy!

Kids: Dylan's Linggo ng Wika celebration

2012-09-01T21:48:00.000+08:00

September 01, 2012

It's always exciting for me when there's a scheduled school activity for either of the kids. Yes, it may be stressful looking for costumes and such and even preparing food to bring to school to share with everyone but in the end, it's seeing the joy that your child experiences that makes everything worthwhile.

So, in the beginning everyone was seated promptly and the kids were awaiting the arrival of the rest of their classmates. Apparently, some of the kids, the girls mostly, were taking their time putting on their makeup .

It was fun seeing Dylan actually participating in the choric recitation, the Sabayang Bigkas, which we practiced at home too. But it wasn't nice seeing his classmate pushing and pushing him to the side while they were waiting to begin.

The parents and the kids had a great time eating together with dishes brought to school by the parents. We brought fried chicken and there was a lot of food to go around. We were even able to take some home :)

It was a good day for Dylan :)

Car: Markyll - The Subaru Impreza

2012-08-27T20:57:00.000+08:00

August 27, 2012

In the previous post, we went to UP and Tagaytay in the car that Patrick was test driving - The Subaru Impreza. Well, we took Markyll (the car ) to North Edsa too together with Tracy because we rarely visit malls this far from our place. It was a good chance to test the car as well as enjoy the day with the kids.

We didn't do much just went around the mall see what's changed since we last visited. We ate lunch at Longganisa Express which happens to be one of Dana's favorite places to eat. We did look for Dylan's costume for his Linggo ng Wika presentation.

Needless to say, even though we didn't do much, the kids had fun especially with Markyll's sun roof :) It was Tracy's first visit to the Mall.. I don't know if she was impressed.. Maybe when she's bigger and there's a sale :) hehehe

Travel: Trip to UP and then Tagaytay

2012-08-26T21:16:00.000+08:00

August 26, 2012

Ordinarily, we don't go out on Sundays because we just all want to rest and stay home in preparation for the new week ahead. But since, it was going to be a holiday tomorrow and Patrick is test driving the Subaru Impreza, we all decided to take a trip to UP so that the kids can bike freely. We were also looking forward to having lunch at Rodic's :) So here are the kids having Taho while on break :)

Now, we didn't take pictures at Rodic's because you've seen a lot of them by now. What surprised us though was when Patrick decided to drive all the way to Tagaytay just to test the Subaru Impreza :) So, we decided to go to Palace in the Sky which we haven't gone to. It was quite a ride going up through the slightly roads zig-zagging roads and we had to do a little climbing (walking) to get to the entrance. Apparently, a lot of people had the same thought during this holiday as there were a lot of people here too.

So here we were, taking advantage of the views from our high vantage point.

Now these two succeeding pictures actually tell an unfortunate incident while we were there. I took this picture (notice the umbrella behind them). It was cloudy when we arrived that's why we took it and indeed, it rained a little while we were there. At the next picture, Patrick took the shot and after that, we all went somewhere else. Unfortunately, Patrick forgot the umbrella under this picnic hut! We realized it after we climbed the other peak which was about 5-7 minutes away so by the time we got back to this spot, the umbrella was gone. Patrick was pissed because it was his favorite Subaru umbrella and it was huge and can protect all four of us.

This was where we were when we realized we lost the umbrella.

After a rather frustrating time trying to locate the umbrella, we just decided to chalk it up to experience. We left Palace in the Sky (I think they call it People's Park now) but I was still keeping an eye out for that huge Subaru umbrella hehe. To console ourselves, Patrick drove to Mushroom Burger since the kids haven't eaten there yet and it has been a long time for Patrick and me too. After our snacks of burgers, fries and drinks, the kids went outside and spent some time in the playground :)

To end the day, we had dinner at Rose and Grace restaurant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Kids: At the SM Toy Expo

2012-08-25T18:01:00.000+08:00

August 25, 2012

I don't know if you are like me when I hear the word "SALE". I sort of go into a panic and then I force myself to calm down When I saw on Facebook that there was to be a Toy Expo at the SMX in Mall of Asia, that's exactly what happened. It's never too early to plan and buy for Christmas. If there are sale events in the Metro which can help save you money, then by all means go to them and just be disciplined enough to buy only what your budget requires. I know, it's hard! But if you concentrate on getting what you and your kids want, especially in a grand Toy Sale like the Toy Expo, you'll have more money to spend on additional items.

We certainly spent a long time walking around the whole exhibition area and at the same time, the kids took their time getting their pictures taken at the displays and photo booths. The Ben 10 and Thundercats section had their own photo background which the kids took advantage of. Come to think of it, even Patrick got in on the picture taking :)

So, there was also a Power Rangers display, a small Bumblebee Transformers statue, an Iron Man statue and a Captain America statue.

Naturally, Patrick just had to try out the Gran Turismo on the PS3. It took him a while to get his turn because kids had to be dragged kicking and screaming by impatient parents.

One of the great buys that we got was this Spongebob Tent that we got for Dylan.

Kids: Tracy's first trip to Manila Zoo

2012-08-20T12:36:00.000+08:00

August 19, 2012

It's always a pleasure when we have the time to go and visit our childhood haunts, like the Manila Zoo (along Adriatico Street in Malate, Manila). It gives Patrick and I a chance to see the changes they've made (which they have in recent years) and for the kids to appreciate what we so loved before. It was Tracy's first time to the zoo, although I think she wasn't really interested in anything at the moment hahahaha but here are the pictures :)

The Elephant paddock is the first you'll see upon entering the Manila Zoo. Since it was a weekend holiday, there were a lot of people in the zoo which was why Dana's face looked like this. Other parents, grandparents and kids were crowding the fences and taking pictures and there was one "adult" that literally pushed my kids out of the way at which time she got an earful from me. Couldn't help it, you just don't push someone, like little kids for that matter, just so you can have your frickin' picture taken with the elephant who wasn't even facing you! ok I'm calm now LOL

Okay, so Tracy was just busy chewing on her pacifier the whole time we were walking around :)

We did get a chance to get a picture of the elephant and without any people to boot!! hahaha

The Zebra grazing

The Tiger lounging

Patrick pretending to eat Tracy LOL

The Hippo swimming

Event: Michael and Tere Glinoga Wedding

2012-07-28T14:00:00.000+08:00

July 28, 2012

One of the highlights of our year was being invited to my cousin Tere's wedding to her husband Michael. They were married at the Santisimo Rosario Parish in UST and Dylan was the Bible Bearer. He wasn't used to people staring at him so he walked down the aisle in slow motion with his head to the floor. It's like he wanted to disappear :) He was still so cute to look at though :D He was supposed to be wearing barong tagalog but we weren't able to get his in time. It was a good thing his tie was still in line with the theme of the wedding.

Here is Tere making her grand entrance into the Church.

waiting in line for his cue

Dylan being cued for walking down the aisle

Look at his apprehension hehehe

Tracy with her formal dress :)

After the wedding, we all trooped to the Hyatt Hotel in Malate. The wedding reception was held at the Ballroom. It was a good time to meet up with the rest of the family. Like having your picture taken with your Dad whom you haven't seen in a long time and sharing a picture with the rest of Dad's male siblings.

We also shared the table with my sister Sharon and her family. That's her there with husband Jowell and granddaughter Tracy.

Check out the kids' meal :)

Cousins Dana and Den

Dylan and Mama

After the reception, we left a little early, we took the time to take pictures in the lobby :)

Here's our picture at the photo booth that was a favorite hang out among the guests. Dana really enjoyed this. I love her smile in all the pictures :)

So, to Michael and Tere.. Congratulations!! Thank you for inviting us to share in your celebration! :D

Happy Father's Day treat at Poco Deli

2012-06-18T09:43:00.000+08:00

June 17, 2012

This weekend was dedicated to Patrick because it was Father's Day. So, on Saturday, we planned to have Stanley's aircon checked at the shop next to Fusion R. Unfortunately, the shop was closed and was replaced by something else. It was disappointing to say the least because they were able to make Stanley's aircon cool and working perfectly the last time we had our check up.

So, instead we ate at JT's Manukan and Grille first before going to Abacus along West Avenue. Abacus was recommended by Patrick's friend and co-worker Paulo so we decided to check that out. After which, we trooped to Mall of Asia and just browsed shops and walked around :)

The next day, Sunday, was actually The Father's Day. We asked Patrick were he wanted to eat and he replied "Poco Deli: so he can also share with us the great food they have there .

It may be his day and his celebration but he really is a Family Man and he's just happy to be sharing a meal with his family. See his smile? :)

For those that aren't aware of Poco Deli, it's a small artisan deli in Kapitolyo, Pasig where they craft their own sausages and meat, have mouthwatering cakes and pastries, delectable Italian pastas and a great selection of wines and beer. It's rather small because it's a neighborhood place but that's the beauty of it. Patrons come to enjoy the silence and the warmth, all the more to savor the great dishes served.

Dana was really loving the interiors. She ordered their homemade Red Ice Tea and she listed it as one of the top Iced Teas she has tasted :) Dylan loved being seated near a "hidden door" which made him think of Harry Potter under the stairs :) We loved eating our appetizer - German Sausage Sampler which allowed you to choose 3 types of sausages to enjoy.

Patrick wanted to order their Bacon Slabs with Eggs and Rice but they were out of it, apparently all Dads wanted that dish that day :) So he settled for Kielbasa sausage with egg and rice. I tried their US Beef Tapa with Eggs and Rice. I think Patrick wanted that one too when it was served hahaha

Dylan and the "Hidden Door" on his Left

The Blackboard at the back can sometimes
show new dishes being served

Homemade German Meatloaf with 2 eggs and Bacon Rice

Dylan just shared with his Ate Dana

their drinks and spices/sauces on display

German Sausage Sampler
with Sauerkraut and New York Bagel chips

Gourmet Tapa with 2 eggs and bacon rice

Kielbasa Sausage with 2 Eggs and Bacon Rice

Their dishes can be expensive for some, because the German meatloaf was around P250+ but the thing is, it's really very filling. You're getting a huge slab of meat, 2 eggs and rice with bacon bits. It really is worth the price you're paying. If you're a light eater, you probably will be sharing this with someone else.

After this hearty meal, we all went back to MOA just to kill time. :)

Travel: Trip to Subic (Day 3)

2012-06-12T20:21:00.000+08:00

June 10, 2012

Our travel to Subic is almost at an end. We're going back to reality in just a few hours. We spent the morning lazing around the hotel room, enjoying the airconditioning :) The kids woke up late because we didn't have any plans during the morning. They just feasted on cable's Cartoon Network for entertainment. Believe me, that's luxury enough for them since we don't have cable at home :)

After checking out, we headed to this spot along Waterfront Road to take pictures of Ghost for the article that Patrick will be writing. For a brief moment, we thought that we'd be in the middle of a thunderstorm because the clouds were really rolling and looked angry. There were raindrops for sure, as you can see. But the sky cleared in a jiffy and we were in the middle of a bright summer day in a few minutes.

Raindrops keep falling on our head! :D

Ghost and us :)

Can you tell how much he loves this car? :D

After the photoshoot, we headed again to Xtremely Xpresso because we simply loved the food! :) There weren't many patrons as of yet and the kids were able to watch Mr. Pizza Man craft the dough. We also drooled over the handcrafted ice cream but we weren't able to take pictures. We ordered the same stuff as yesterday, except for the chicken pesto sandwich which I had. It was really good! ::)

Chicken Pesto Sandwich

Dana and her bubblegum flavored ice cream

There were some misses on this trip but over-all it was still a restful vacation. The highlight was Xtremely Xpresso (for me, at least) but it's still the beach for the kids :) Patrick's just happy enough to sleep in an air conditioned room hahaaha Till Next Time! :D

Travel: Trip to Subic (Day 2)

2012-06-12T14:00:00.000+08:00

June 9, 2012

Dylan waking up to Chips Ahoy and Milk

Day 2 of our Subic getaway started early. Everyone wanted to get a move on because our itinerary today involved going to the beach. We originally planned on visiting Sunset Cove in Morong, Bataan because we saw pictures of our friend who went there over the summer and we became curious too. So, we set off on our adventure for the day because we didn't really know where it was located because the directions and the map from the Net were a bit vague.

The travel from Subic to Morong was quite easy because the road was direct and Patrick was familiar with it having passed by this area on many occasions. However, finding Sunset Cove was a little daunting especially when you reach the part where you have to travel on a very narrow road, passable only to one vehicle at a time. The area on both sides of the road were occupied by residents so expect to see people, chickens, kids and dogs crossing in front of you. There was a part of the road that was cemented but by the time you reach the gate of Sunset Cove, it's no longer cemented and it was rather gravelly so you can just imagine our fear of getting the Subaru scratched.

When we got inside the compound, we were a little dismayed, although the people who came out to talk with us were very warm and accommodating. It wasn't the right time to be going there as the water was very high and there was barely any sand to walk on - not really the kind of picture we saw from our friend's trip. There were sandbags everywhere. They offered us a "family room" within a family bungalow but it was too narrow and really not worth the price. So, we just decided to leave and chalk it up to experience.

Our next stop was Dungaree beach in Subic. We went there before and we had a good time then so we thought it would suffice. We were surprised to find out that now, since it's under new management, everything is being charged and I mean everything! The cottage that used to be P1000 is now P1500 and you have to pay an entrance fee of P150/head. Even the floaties and the water toys that you bring in has a corresponding charge. The cost will be halved if you bring your own but you still have to pay a "corkage" since they're also "renting" these things out. In computing our costs, we would end up paying a lot more for a swim on the beach and as much as we didn't want to because of the prohibitive expense, the kids were really looking forward to it so much so we still went with it. I personally didn't have as much fun as before because this time the beach was rather dirty too. It was filled with lots of garbage and by garbage I don't mean the seaweeds that were everywhere. Rather, there was a lot of plastic stuff that must have come in by way of the tides. The kids though didn't mind and they loved being in the water and on the sand! :D

After burning ourselves up on the beach, we went back to the hotel to freshen up and then headed to a Subic staple, the Xtremely Xpresso Cafe, for lunch. Before the trip, we decided that we'd try eating at Subic mainstay restos so we can really appreciate the trip. Xtremely Xpresso was number one on the list since we already ate at Meat Plus Cafe in previous trips.

We were ahead of the lunch crowd and easily found a table for the four of us.

Dana had the Carbonara

Dylan had the Tuna Mayo Sandwich

I think Patrick had the Meat Lasagna

I had the Meatball spaghetti

Big Ben Pizza

Patrick was enamored of the Spicy Chocolate

We really enjoyed the food at Xtremely Xpresso. The cost of the food was pricier than "normal" restos but the serving on your plate and the taste of the food more than made up for it. In the end, the price was just right for the quality, presentation and ambience in the restaurant. You see even when the restaurant was filling up with its regular patrons, the service wasn't diminished. You didn't have to wait an eternity for your order. That in itself is a plus factor! :)

After a filling lunch, we just drove around Subic, testing the driving potential of the Subaru. We went up the mountains and looked at the interesting houses with their garages that are detached from the house. I don't know where that is exactly but it's really cool! :D All that driving around lasted a good couple of hours and by the time we got back, the kids were itching for a round in the hotel's pool. I've never seen my kids' feet so clean at the end of the day :D

their VERY clean feet :D

Travel: Trip to Subic (Day 1)

2012-06-12T11:20:00.000+08:00

June 08, 2012

Our summer vacation came a little late this year but as they say, "better late than never". The kids, Patrick and I went to Subic for 3 days and 2 nights and we were lucky enough to be test driving the 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX STI for Top Gear Philippines in the same trip.

Our first stop on our trip was the Teriyaki Boy Restaurant in the Petron compound along the North Luzon Expressway. We all love Japanese food and Dylan especially loves California Maki as you can see from this picture.

The rest of us had Katsudon,gyoza and the rest of the Maki.

It's just great that my kids really love trying out new food for themselves. :)

After having that hefty lunch, we all trooped back to the Subaru STI we named "Ghost" in honor of John Snow's direwolf in Game of Thrones. Why Ghost? Well, he's silver (close to white) but he's so ferocious on the road. He can reach up to 200 kilometers per hour and there's not even a hint of hardship on the engine. He's as cool as they come. I didn't even know we were running at that speed! But sshhh! I don't think that's allowed :D I did have a problem with it being too sporty as I felt it was a bumpy ride. I ended up getting a headache upon arriving in Subic. This car is an animal on the road!!

We arrived in Subic in record time. We checked in at the Bayfront Hotel which was were we usually stay when in Subic. We were surprised to see a new hotel in front of Bayfront. It was still under construction when we last came to Subic. Now it was called the Terrace Hotel and it looked interesting from my vantage point. At first we had a problem with checking in because the room that they assigned was not the one that I requested when I made the booking. Then they couldn't accommodate the request because they were fully booked. Good for them so I settled with a different room. This one had twin beds which still wasn't what I asked for and not what I paid for. Eventually, they got it right. It was a good thing I was still in a good mood or else ... With this setback, I was considering trying out the Terrace Hotel on the other side the next time we came to Subic.

So we just rested for a while with the kids just watching TV. In the end, we opted to go to Royal Subic to buy our snacks for the beach trip tomorrow and to see if there was anything worth buying :)

Right after buying what we needed to buy, it really didn't take us long, we went to Meat Plus Cafe for dinner. It was a good thing we didn't take too long at the Duty Free because when we reached Meat Plus, there wasn't that many people lined up and we were able to get a very cozy table. Right after we ordered, the people started coming in...

Here are pics of us waiting for our orders at Meat Plus Cafe.

And here are our orders:

Tenderloin Meal

Meat Plus Burger Meal

Hamburger Steak Meal

After a satisfying meal, we all went back to the hotel to rest. I also had to pack our stuff for our trip to the beach the next day.

Kids: Another baptism, this time in Silang, Tagaytay

2012-05-13T13:05:00.000+08:00

May 12, 2012

I take to heart whenever someone invites me personally to a gathering. To me, when you're personally invited, it means that the person doing the inviting deems you important and valuable enough and sincerely wants you to be there. If you think about it, especially now with emails and texts, it's easy enough to send out invites. Personal invites just bears more weight to me, that's all..

So, when my friend John sent a message on FB, sent a text to my phone and still called me up to personally invite me to his daughter's baptism, I knew I couldn't turn him down. It didn't matter that it was in Silang, Cavite which was really far :) The trip took longer than we planned and we got lost somewhere along the way hehehe but it was an adventure and we loved it! :D

Finally we got to the venue and were welcomed so warmly :D After feasting on the good food that was laid out, the kids couldn't wait to try out the swimming pool. It was Tracy's first outing after her baptism so it was also a milestone for her.

Couldn't resist posting this because Dana looked so funny!

Both wearing plaid.. :D

Kids: Tracy's Baptism

2012-05-06T23:14:00.000+08:00

May 6, 2012

Today was Tracy's baptism. It was held at the Santisimo Rosario Parish in UST where both Dana and Dylan were baptized too. Everyone woke up early to prepare for it and for once, we were early to an event LOL We just hung out at the benches in front of the church while we waited for the rest of the party to arrive. We were actually the first to sign up for the baptism (which was a mass baptism held every Sunday).

Here's what happened at the Church:

Registration

Opening Prayers

Blessing of the Priest

Anointing with holy oil

Rites of Godparents

While the rest of the other baptism celebrants took their positions, I took the time to just take pictures of the attendees.

Godparents on the Front Row

The Immediate Family

Ninangs Uye, Pat and Mira

Ninong Gelo and Ninong Mike

After the ceremony, we all took our time taking pictures. One of the benefits of being first in line is that you don't have to wait for anyone. You have first dibs on everything.

Ninang Glen in pink and the Grandfather on the far right

After the baptism, we all trooped to our house for the "reception". Patrick missed the first part of the ceremony because he had to go and pick up our order from Amber's in Timog. We forgot to take pictures of the cassava cake.. oh! that was really good too~! :D

Barbecue

Lumpiang Shanghai

Spaghetti

More picture taking happening at the house with the guests.

Ninang Danica and Ninong Edgar

Ninang Glenn and Ninong Gelo

Ninong Mike and Ninang Uye

Kids: The SkyGarden Sea Explorer's World at SM City North EDSA

2012-05-02T13:56:00.000+08:00

May 01, 2012

Today is Labor Day and as such, it's a holiday and it's time for the working people to have a break. So Patrick and Den are on break. We took Den and Tracy to Erghie's place in Project 8 so that Tracy can spend time with her dad and granddad. Meanwhile, we (Patrick, the kids and I), went to SM City North Edsa to check out the SkyGarden Sea Explorer's World exhibit. Naturally, you can't visit without taking pictures so here are a lot of them :)

Orca - The Killer Whales

Sharks!

Mumble, is that you? :)

Sea Lions

Dolphins!

Now, after taking pictures and walking along SkyGarden, we got hungry and stopped at Longganisa Express for a bite to eat. It was our first time to eat there and we were quite curious as to the kind of longganisa that we can taste. They have a longganisa platter which allows you to choose 5 different kinds of longganisa from Baguio, Cebu, Vigan, Pampanga, Lucban (Quezon), Cabanatuan (Nueva Ecija), Tuguegarao, Calumpit, and Laoag. You can order rice to go with it, whether plain or fried. Their pitcher of home-made iced tea is really refreshing. Their prices were affordable and reasonable. They also have long-si-log meals which come with a side of atchara and a drink. We will definitely be back.

Different types of vinegar from all over the Philippines

After our excursion at the mall, we came back to Project 8 to fetch Den and Tracy.

Kids: Tracy's first outing at the mall

2012-04-21T22:45:00.000+08:00

April 21, 2012

Today was one of those days when I was just itching to get out of the house. Do you ever have one of those days where for no reason, you just want to get out and smell the "fresh" air? Well, this was the day for me and so everyone just trooped to Robinson's Otis for a short trip.

We ate at Mongolian Quickstop, our favorite Mongolian barbecue restaurant. Then, we just loitered around the area and the kids hopped on a ride :)