One Day Blog Silence - April 30, 2007

I will not be posting anything tomorrow to support the One Day Blog Silence as a tribute to the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre. Let us pray for all the victims and their families.

Silverlining Named Lyonnel

He didn't even have to say hi. It was those red lips and his big smile that got me.

I remember the first day I met him. It was the first day of summer classes. Oh how I dreaded that day because I just couldn't get over my darn luck. I flunked Quantitative Techniques (so did half of my classmates) earlier that term because I was foolish enough to enroll under a difficult professor. While other classes under a different professor had a breeze with their Quatech subject, we the unlucky ones were frying our brains under Mr. U. He flunked more than half of the class! The 0.0 on my course card was terrible but to find out that he was the same teacher for my summer class was a low blow. The words "Life is unfair!" repeated inside my head.

Little did I know that something nice was looming in the air. I was about to open the door of our classroom when someone beat me to it. This gentleman held the door open for me. Then I saw his face. He had a beautiful smile that almost caught me offguard. He seemed so full of positive energy.

That was the start of a wonderful friendship.

He made me feel very special. Those little things he did mattered so much. We always spent hours on the phone and he would often visit me at home.

He loved giving my surprises ... dozen roses, a lovely bag, a beautiful angel, a bamboo good fortune plant, chocolates, cakes and countless cards. Sometimes he would just turn up at my door to transform an ordinary day to a special one.

He said I was beautiful and even wrote it down on a post-it during class. I have kept that post-it every since and I even have it until today.

We became Best Friends.

Years have passed but we're still the best of friends. He is the godfather of my son, Yohan and I'm the godmother of his daughter, Alexa.

We don't see each other as often as we used to but whenever we do, the closeness is always there. Time and distance doesn't seem to put any strain in our friendship because we know that we can always depend on one another.



Happy Birthday Lyonnel! Thanks for coming into my life at the perfect time. You inspired me in more ways than you know. You're very important to me and you will always have a special place in my heart. God bless.

Photo Hunt :: Rare

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Before anything else, I would like to wish our Photo Hunters' dearest hostess, TNChick a speedy recovery. I hope that she will get well soon.

Here's a collage I made featuring all my first cousins on my mother's side (arranged according to birth order). I have 28 first cousins. As a nice highlight of the collage, I added a baby photo of each cousin on the side. It's very rare for all of us to be together in a family gathering since many of us live far from each other. It would certainly be nice to have a happy grand reunion sometime in the near future.

You can find me on the left most side (2nd row). My nickname is Gigi. I know it's so far from my real name Rachel but my mom wanted my nickname to start with a G after her name, Gloria. That was my graduation photo in college. This nickname is only used by my relatives. Friends call me Rachel or Rach.

Friday's Feast #17

Come join the feast here.
I haven't played for several weeks but I'm back.

Appetizer
How fast can you type?
I don't really know how fast I type based on word per minute but I think I have an acceptable speed.

Soup
What is your favorite online game?
I don't really play online games.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), how intelligent do you think you are?
Hmm ... I'd give myself a 7 or 8.

Main Course
Name three of your best teachers from your school years.
Ms. S - My teacher in kindergarden. She always helped me open my water jug every recess time. Simple gesture of kindness that I will never forget.
Ms. P - My teacher in grade 4. She was so pretty that she inspired me to act more lady like.
Mr. R - My professor in one of my marketing subjects in college. He believed in me more than I ever did. He always praised me in class and he even made one of my marketing papers as an example in his other classes.

Dessert
What are your plans for this upcoming weekend?
Nothing definite yet but looking forward to a nice weekend with my family.

Yohanism #5

I was watching the DVD of Heroes several weeks ago. I was so hooked that I was able to watch Episodes 1-17 in a single day.

Heroes is an American science fiction drama television series, created by Tim Kring, which premiered on NBC on September 25, 2006. The show tells the story of several people who "thought they were like everyone else... until they woke with incredible abilities" such as telepathy, time travel and flight. These people soon realize they have a role in preventing a catastrophe and saving mankind. source

One of the characters in this TV series is a Japanese named Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka), "a programmer from Tokyo with the ability to manipulate the space-time continuum."

I was watching Heroes while Yohan was happily playing with his toy trains. He seemed oblivious to what I was watching until he heard Hiro Nakamura talking in Japanese, Yohan turned to me to say ...

"Mommy, he is talking rubbish!"

It was so funny but I didn't laugh in front of him. I explained to him that he was not talking rubbish but he was talking in a different language called Japanese. My three year old son's face showed he wasn't convinced at all. ha! ha!

Yohan's Mini Grocery Cart

Time seems to pass by so quickly. It feels as if it was only yesterday when we brought Yohan to the grocery for the first time. He wasn't even walking at that time yet and he was in his stroller.

But look where he is now ...

He looks almost grown up with that mini push cart. We let him get one of those cute mini push carts at the grocery and I let him get a few little things I pointed out (which I forgot to buy on our recent trip to the supermarket) like baby wipes and some Q-tips. He asked if he could get some chips and I let him.

I think Yohan really enjoyed acting like a grown up with his own push cart. It was so cute as he put each item one by one at the cashier.

Tagaytay in April

Our family went to Tagaytay last Saturday to celebrate the birthday of Tito Greg. It was also a farewell party for Tito Eddie who was going back to Canada the following Monday. We had a lovely lunch at Leslie's. Everyone shared a small feast consisted of bulalo (boiled bone-in beef shank served with a variety of vegetables), shrimp thermidor, gambas, lechon kawali (pan roasted pork), chili crab, sinigang na hipon (shrimp and vegetables simmered in a tangy soup base of tamarind), ensaladang mangga (sliced green mangoes and tomatoes) and sisig (a Philippine dish made from parts of pig’s head and usually seasoned with calamansi and some chili pepers). We were even serenaded by the restaurant's musicians as we ate our lunch.

After that heavy lunch, we went to Tagaytay Highlands to visit the friend of Tito Boy. We went around admiring the beautiful houses and lush surroundings of this elite subdivision. Oh, how I would love to have our own rest house there (if by chance we win the lottery). Wishful thinking! :)

We were able to ride the cable car for the first time. It was a fun experience. It wasn't scary as I first thought it would be since I'm scared of heights. I actually enjoyed it.

The kids enjoyed a short trip in the zoo inside Tagaytay Highlands. Yohan and Tisha wanted to ride a horse but there were many people waiting in line so we had to skip that one. They had the chance to ride the mock-up horse as a consolation. They seemed to enjoy it.

Tagaytay is a refreshing destination during summer because of the cool breeze. It was a relief to escape the summer heat. The family had some coffee and snacks before heading home. It was another fine day.

Monday Madness #27

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Pardon my late MM. I couldn't connect to the internet yesterday but things seem back to normal today.

1. Name a song you know most (or all) of the words to.
Towerblock by Julia Fordham. I love this song. I watched Julia Fordham's concert twice and in both concerts, I waited anxiously for this song. Let me share the lyrics.

You make me feel vulnerable and totally exposed
You make mefeel like a teenager dressed in a woman's clothes
And I ask you, and I ask you, where do we go from here?

All my life, I've been the one who's bigand strong for everyone
Then you come along, a towerblock for me to lean on.
And I ask you, where do we go from here?

You've got me so I'm curling like a kitten in your hand
You've got me so I'm clawing like a tigercaged and bound
And I ask you, and I ask you, where do we go from here?

All my life, I've been the one who's big and strong for everyone
Then you come along, a towerblock for me to lean on.
And I ask you,where do we go from here?

All my life, I've been the one who's always there for everyone
And now I know you've let me down, will it always be
That I'm the only towerblock for me

2. Name a movie that you have watched more than once and would watch again.

I have many favorite movies but I never get tired of watching A Walk in the Clouds.

3. Have you ever read a book more than once? Please share.
I've read the Little Prince several times. I've read it first in grade school. I felt moved by it and it has been special to me ever since. I have my own copy of it at home.


4. Share an inspirational quote with us.

Friendships require nurturing - even when other things in life seem more
important or overwhelming. The results are worth the effort. - author unknown

5. What day of the week does (or did) your birthday fall on this year?
My birthday fell on a Thursday this year.

6. Have you ever bought a book or cd or movie more than once because you forgot you bought it already?
That hasn't happened yet.

Friendship Gone Astray

I was resting at SM Prestige lounge in Makati with my husband when a former classmate in grade school and high school saw me. We both looked at one another and there was instant recognition (or so I thought). She called me a different name ... Pauline.

Pauline was my good friend in Grade 6. We had the same height, we both had long hair and almost similar built. We were inseparable. Some friends, classmates and even teachers had slight difficulty telling us apart during some occasions. We spent most of our time together in school and we would talk for hours on the phone. Pauline spent lots of time at my house and vise versa. We had a good friendship. Why the past tense? Something happened which made her cold towards me. Until today I couldn't pinpoint the reason. I just felt that someone got jealous of our friendship and got through her somehow. I just had a hunch that someone backstabbed me.

It just happened all of a sudden that I felt at a loss. We were always together and then one day, I was alone and she was with hanging out with a different crowd. I tried talking to her but she couldn't give me a straight answer. I tried to save our friendship but I felt her mind and heart was closed and I just had to let go.

It was a tough time and being mistaken as Pauline after all those years brought back sad memories.

I'm a Winner on Leah's 100th Post Contest

Leah of Mga Muni-Muni is giving me this lovely necklace as an incentive for winning her 100th Post Contest. This is the first time I have ever won anything online and it certainly made me smile. Thanks Leah for your thoughtfulness. Take care!

Photo Hunt :: Steps

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I posted this photo on my blog last year but I decided to share it with you again because it's perfect for this week's theme. This is the Via Dolorosa Grotto of Healing and Purification found in Barangay Tinamnan, Lucban Quezon, Philippines. I took this photo when we went there last September 2006.



The beautiful Via Dolorosa Grotto of Healing and Purification has life-size statues of the 14 Stations of the Cross. It has 292 steps, leading to a 50-foot statue of Christ. It is said to be the third biggest in the world which can be seen miles away.

Summer Splash

What's the best way to beat the summer heat? What else but have a refreshing dip in the pool! Tito Boy and his family rented a private resort for the whole family last Wednesday. It was a perfect time to escape the summer heat and splunge in cool water.

In between swims, we enjoyed eating, some played mahjong and poker, others tried harder sudoku puzzles and of course, videoke. :) Yohan slept inside a mini tent while some of us enjoyed a lovely conversation lying down on a mat and stargazing.

Early Blessing of the Week from Dawn

Thank you Dawn of Thoughts From Along the Broken Road for nominating me for the Thinking Blogger Award. Let me share with you what she wrote about my blog:

Rachel is one of the sweetest bloggers on my regular read-list. She
always has a kind word to say and her blog posts are a celebration of the simple things in life. So often, when i read her blog, I am reminded of how far kindness can go, and how important it is to appreciate all the moments we are given, both big and small.

Thank you Dawn for these sweet and kind words. I really feel honored. Your kindness is truly a reward by itself.

I also love visiting Dawn's blog. The best thing I love about her site, is her Little Bits of Happy where she randomly shares about things, people and events that make her smile and give her moments of joy.

Here are the rules of the Thinking Blogger Award:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

Now, it's my turn to share this blessing to 5 other people (in no particular order):

1. Toni of Wifely Steps - Toni is my first blogging friend. I found her site by chance as I was browsing for interesting blog topics. I've been a regular visitor ever since. She helped add meaning and direction to my existing blog. Toni enjoys sharing useful tips and interesting links. She likes raving about delicious food, lovely places and wonderful things she encounter in her daily life. I often learn something new whenever I visit her.

2. Princess of The CooknTcher Mom - My Aunt Prency (as I fondly call her) is the first relative I felt comfortable sharing my blog with. Her positive feedback to my blog inspired me to share it with other family members. She shares her passion for teaching as well as her love for cooking. Her blog is a reflection of how much she values family, friends and students. Her nurturing and sweet nature easily reflects on her writing.

3. Nancze of NhisGarden-Oklahoma Reflections - Nancze has a lovely site with lots of fun graphics and cute siggies. Nancze has a sweet and friendly nature and she loves sharing about her family and loved ones. I admire her inner strength and strong faith in God. Her kindness and positive outlook in life is an inspiration.

4. Daphne of My Little Moments - Daphne is one of my very first blog friends. Daphne has a passion for watching movies, reading books and traveling which she generously shares with her readers. I like her honest and straightforward attitude. She openly shares random aspects in her life and I admire her candid and witty approaches.

5. Yvonne Russel of Grow Your Writing Business - Yvonne is a fabulous writer. My Aunt Princess referred me to her site to check out the flower map, a program on which you type your web address to see intricate web connections evolve. I've been a regular visitor ever since. Yvonne's informative site provides valuable tips and advices on how to improve one's writing and overall blog content. She shares links to other interesting sites that she believes will contribute and stregthen one's writing as well as sites that promote note worthy campaigns.

My Shy Bible Bearer

Yohan was the bible bearer at the wedding of Ryan and Chris (Jules' cousin) last Saturday, April 14, 2007. It was his first time to be part of a wedding entourage. Yohan looked magnificent in his barong. He was in a good mood and eager to walk on the aisle ... or so I thought. At the last minute he held my hand and said to walk with him. The wedding coordinator asked me to walk with Yohan and I did. He was walking quite well but halfway to the altar, he suddenly felt shy when he saw familiar and strange faces. Familiar voices cheered him to go on but my lil' boy was overwhelmed with shyness and he hid behind my back. :( Oh well, there's always a first time for everything. Yohan wasn't the only one, the ring bearer walked halfway then ran back to his father and walked back again. I think the guests found it cute and amuzing. Below are some photos taken at the church. The beautiful ladies are Yohan's twin grandmothers.

After the church wedding, we headed to the nearby reception. It was a magnificent sight. It was a beautiful garden reception and the weather was absolutely perfect. The groom said they offered 2 dozen eggs to St. Claire prior to the wedding to grant them a good weather (a common Catholic wedding tradition in the Philippines). Below are photos taken at the reception. One photo shows Jules with Yohan and niece, Tisha.

Yohan has always wanted to ride a horse and that night, his wish was granted. Jules, Yohan and I had the privilege to have an exclusive ride in the bridal carriage. Yohan was ecstatic when we allowed him to ride infront with the carriage driver while Jules and I sat in the passenger seat. We watched as he merrily held the rope. It was so funny how he kept saying to the horse, "Faster!" I was so happy because one of Yohan's dreams came true that night. I love the sweet picture of me and Yohan in the carriage.

Photo Hunt :: Hobby

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I'm posting this early because we'll be attending a wedding later within the day. To my fellow SPH participants, I might not be able to visit you today but I'll make it up to you tomorrow.

My hobby is buying Thomas and Friends die-cast trains for my son. He loves them and I enjoy buying him new trains whenever I can. Below is Yohan's collection of trains ...

Jules and I bought Yohan several Thomas and Friends play sets and tracks. You could see how Yohan loves playing with his trains. He has his own little Island of Sodor. :)

First Barong

side note: I won't be able to join Friday's Feast today but to my FF co-participants, I'll see you next week. Happy Friday!

Jules and I got Yohan's barong from the tailor last Wednesday. We were so excited to try it out on Yohan. It's a perfect fit!

Yohan will wear this barong this Saturday for the wedding of Ryan and Chris (Jules' cousin). Yohan is the bible bearer and it will be his first time to walk the aisle with the rest of the wedding entourage.

A barong Tagalog (or simply barong) is an embroidered formal
garment of the Philippines. It is very lightweight and worn untucked, similar to
a coat/dress shirt. It is a common wedding and formal attire for Filipino men.
The term "Barong Tagalog" literally means "Tagalog dress" (i.e., baro ng Tagalog
or dress of the Tagalog) in the Filipino language.
source

Yohan's Easter Egg Hunt - 3 of 3

I hope you're not getting tired of seeing Yohan's Easter photos. This is the last one and hope you'll enjoy going through them.

Happy 1st Birthday to my godchild, Alexa! She's the beautiful daughter of my best friend, Lyonnel and his lovely wife Tricia. Alexa had a marvelous party held at the clubhouse of Green Meadows last Saturday, April 8, 2007. The venue was filled with lots of pretty Easter decorations as the motiff of the party and the food was overwhelming.

It was the first time Yohan joined party games. He's often shy when it comes to joining games but that day he was in such a great mood. I consider it a great milestone seeing him join other kids in the fun games, enjoying the magic show and the whole program.

His group won two games in a row and he enjoyed choosing prizes from the huge table full of toys, books, treats and other fun stuff.

The best part that Yohan enjoyed was the Easter Egg Hunt. It was already his third that day but we was still enthusiastic and excited about it. I helped him go around the venue to look for Easter Eggs. We only got 6 eggs while the others got not less than 10. I even heard one girl who got an amazing 24 eggs. It turned out that it wasn't the most number of eggs who got the biggest prize but the ones who got the gold and silver eggs. We were so thrilled because Yohan got the silver egg! The girl who got the gold egg received a medium sized box wrapped in fancy paper. I had no idea what was inside. Yohan received a huge paper bag which was filled with toys, books and lots of other wonderful goodies. I felt so happy for my son because he got one of the biggest prizes that night.

Just look at everything Yohan got on a single day (from the 3 Easter Egg Hunts). He's really lucky to get all these wonderful goodies this year. When I look at this picture, it almost looks as if it was his birthday. I think it's his best Easter so far. It was so heartwarming to see him very happy.

Do You Remember the First Time We Met?

Extended! This is a STICKY NOTE and will remain until Wednesday, April 11, 2007. Please disregard date on top, I temporarily configured the date so this post will stay on top.

For my more recent posts, please scroll down. Thank you.

ACTUAL DATE POSTED: April 3, 2007 @ 10:17 pm



Is it your first time here? If yes, how did you get here?

Are you a silent visitor? Then this is the best time to delurk. It would certainly make me happy if you do.

Perhaps, you've been here a few times. How did we meet? Through a meme perhaps?

Are you a frequent visitor? Do you still remember the first time we met?

Did I find you first or the other way around?

Oh please, indulge me on this one. I'd love to know if you still remember how we met.

Kite Launch

Here's the sequel to my Elusive Kite post.

What I discovered during the past weekend: Flying a kite is F U N !!!

Jules looked like a pro with gloves and all. ha! ha! He said the nylon string could actually hurt your hand so it's always better to wear gloves just in case.

The afternoon breeze was perfect for kite flying. I let Jules have the task of putting the kite in the air. At lift off, I happily held on it and watched it soar in the sky. :)

How high did it go?

I realized simple things can bring so much excitement and joy.

Yohanism #4

#1
We were watching National Geographic and Yohan heard the narrator say that they were in Madagascar. Yohan turned to look at me.

Yohan: Madagascar?
Me: Yes, that place is called Madagascar.
Yohan: No, Madagascar is my DVD. That's a rainforest.

#2
Yohan and I were coloring a page in his new coloring book together. We finished coloring the trees with green and brown, grass with green, sun with yellow and only the clouds were left. I handed the blue crayon to Yohan to color the clouds.

Yohan: No, not blue, only white.
Me: You can also color the clouds blue because if you use white, you won't see it because the paper is also white.
Yohan: (persistent) Clouds are white, look at the sky mommy. See?!
Me: Okay, here's the white crayon.
Good thing the white crayon was still lightly visible.

#3
We were watching Animal Planet when I saw a black labrador on TV.

Me: Look it's Bruno on TV!
Yohan: No, that's not Bruno.
He dragged me outside and pointed at Bruno lying down at our garage.
Yohan: See mommy, there's Bruno.
He dragged me back inside and pointed at the TV.
Yohan: He only looks like Bruno.
Me: Yes, you're right Yohan. Sorry, mommy's mistake.
Yohan: That's okay.

Yohan's Easter Egg Hunt - 2 of 3

After a fun Easter Egg hunt at my in-law's place and a delicous lunch with the family, we had to go home to get ready for a birthday party. Yohan was a little upset because he wanted to stay longer to play with his cousins. He was sad and tears were falling down his face. I told him that there was another Easter Egg Hunt waiting for him at home. The thought of another egg hunt erased the sadness in his face and made him smile.

Here he is enjoying his second egg hunt of the day. This time, all the eggs were his for the taking. He absolutely loved the cute pokemons he found inside the egg to add to his growing collection.


After the quick egg hunt, we all got dressed for the party. More to follow...

Yohan's Easter Egg Hunt - 1 of 3

When I was younger, Easter Egg Hunts were not so popular. I only experienced one Easter Egg Hunt when I was a child when some people decided to come up with an Egg Hunt for the kids in our neighborhood. Sadly, the event wasn't repeated the following year.

Yohan is lucky because Easter Egg Hunts have become more popular in the Philippines in the recent years. Actually, Yohan is very lucky because he experienced going Easter Egg Hunting three times last Easter Sunday.

Here are some photos taken on Yohan's Easter Egg Hunt #1 which was initiated by my thoughtful sister-in-law, Ves and her family.

Below, you can see Yohan and his cousins happily searching for Easter Eggs in the vicinity of my in-laws' place. Yohan's basket was a bit small to hold all those Easter Eggs so his Dad helped him carry some.

Each Easter Egg had little surprises in them like small toys, coins, candies and chocolates. Each egg that they got was equivalent to P50.00. Yohan got a nice sum for the eggs that he gathered. The kids were thrilled when Ves handed them more presents after the Egg Hunt. Yohan opened two presents. He got a Hot Wheels card game and Hot Wheels car plus a nice Dinosaur coloring book.

Everyone was excited to see what the kids got. I'm the one in yellow helping Yohan go through his Easter Eggs.

Thanks Keats, Ves and Dee-Dee for the fun and memorable Easter Egg Hunt this year.

The whole family shared a lovely meal after the egg-citing event. Some relatives from the States are here for a vacation which made the family get-together special. You can see my husband, Jules busy with the grill. In one of the photos, Yohan was playing make believe Dinosaur with one of his favorite uncles, Keats. Yohan was still acting as a dinosaur when he posted with the rest of the family. The others enjoyed a good game of mahjong. When everyone took a break to have lunch, Yohan took advantage of the empty table to play with the mahjong.

We had to leave early to attend the first birthday celebration of my best friend's daughter, Alexa at Green Meadows. More to follow...

Have a Blessed Easter!

Wishing you all a meaningful, lovely and fun Easter celebration with people close to your hearts. ~Thanks Kia for the cute sigtag~

Last year, I had time to prepare lovely Easter treats for Yohan and his cousins, Tisha and Dee-Dee. See those eggs in the middle? Jules dyed them in different colors while I dressed them up using some computer print-outs. There was a cowboy, an Indian, a king, a baker, a bunny, and more.

Sadly this year, I've been a little busy and wasn't able to prepare treats for all the kids. Good thing my sister-in-law, Ves texted me earlier inviting Yohan for an Easter Egg Hunt tomorrow morning at my in-law's place.

I was able to prepare a simple basket for Yohan prior to the invitation. I just recycled last year's plastic eggs and bought these cute Pokemon figures that Yohan loves to collect. I'll just put one pokemon and few chocolates inside every egg. I'm sure Yohan would be thrilled to receive new Pokemon.

Photo Hunt :: Clean

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note: HaloScan is acting so weird lately. If by chance you cannot find the comment link, kindly leave a message on my tag board on the left. Thanks!

Yohan had his haircut a few weeks ago. He happily watched Barney on TV while his regular barber trimmed his hair. The result was a nice, clean haircut.

Friday's Feast #16

Come join the feast here.

Feast One Hundred & Thirty Eight

note: HaloScan is acting so weird lately. If by chance you cannot find the comment link, kindly leave a message on my tag board on the left. Thanks!

Appetizer
When you travel, which mode of transportation do you prefer?
If it's nearby, I prefer to travel by car but for far places, I prefer to take the plane rather than the boat/ship.

Soup
Have you ever met a blogging friend in person?
No, I haven't except for my Aunt Princess who I have known before she began blogging.

Salad
When was the last time you were really, really tired?
During the first few weeks after giving birth to my son. It was a great adjustment period for me considering that he's my first baby.

Main Course
If you could have dinner with any one fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be?
Sorry, couldn't think of anyone from a book or a movie. The first person that came to mind is Mark Sloan from Grey's Anatomy. :)

Dessert
Fill in the blank: One day, I hope to see my son, Yohan get married and have his own children.

The Elusive Kite

I've never flown a kite, not even when I was a child. I told my husband about this and while we were at the mall yesterday, he bought a kite behind my back. I was busy looking for a gift for my god daughter who is celebrating her 1st birthday this Sunday when I noticed that Jules was not inside the shop anymore. I called him on his cellphone but he wasn't answering it. After a few minutes I saw him walking back towards the store carrying a plastic bag. I was a little annoyed that he left without telling me where he was going. But I was so touched when he told me that he bought a kite so I could finally experience flying one.

We were supposed to fly the kite today but when I woke up, the sky was filled with dark, gray clouds and it was raining. :(

Oh well, we can always fly it another time. I'm excited about flying my first kite. I almost feel like a child. Yohan is thrilled with the idea too. I'll let you know how it turns out.

More Reasons to Smile

Thank you Lynn for this lovely e-card. I wasn't able to post it earlier but I just wanted you to know that I appreciate your thoughtfulness. I'm equally grateful for meeting a kind and generous person like you through blogging. Looking forward to more of our fun and interesting exchanges through our blogs. Take care Lynn!


Thank you Judy for this lovely surprise! The first thing I usually do when I get home is check the mailbox outside. I was thrilled to see a yellow envelope when I opened the mailbox yesterday. It's so nice of you to send me this cute and funny birthday card. I was reading your past posts the other day and I felt terrible when I realized I missed your birthday. Very late as it is, I do hope that you had a special birthday celebration. I wish you best of health, people you love close by, happiness within your heart and more inspiration to fill your soul.

Congratulations Toni and Shari!

Congratulations to my online friends for winning the following categories for the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards.

Toni of Wifely Steps - Best Home and Living Blog

Shari of Misteryosa - Best Personal Blog

You both deserve such wonderful achievements. I'm honored to have met you in the blogosphere. Keep up the good work girls! Wishing you more fruitful blogging years and more inspiration for your writing. Take care!

note: Toni's domain is not available for viewing as of the moment due to unknown reasons but I'm sure she'll be back online soon.

edited (04/04/2007): Wifely Steps is back online now.

Monday Madness #26

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1. Where did you go on your last vacation?
My family went to Balai Beach Resort at San Juan, Batangas (Philippines) early last month.


2. Would you go there again? Why or why not?
Yes because it's just two hours away and it's a beautiful place ideal for some family bonding.


3. How many vacations do you take in one year?
At least one to two vacations in a year.

4. Where would you REALLY like to go on your next vacation, if money was no issue, and how long would you stay?
I'd love to go to New York and visit my parents and my brother and shop 'til I drop. :)
I would also like to bring my son to Disneyland California or Disney World in Florida.

5. Do you put a little money aside each week (or month) to save up for your vacation?
No, I don't but I think that would be a nice idea.