Saturday, September 20, 2008
It was Patrick's payday so we decided to take the kids to the zoo. For the longest time, they've been wanting to go but we always had little or no money to take them so it was such a relief that we were finally able to take them out of the house and bring them to where they wanted to go :)
The kids were so excited! Patrick and I were too because we knew that the zoo had undergone some renovation so we wanted to see just what's improved.
We were lucky enough to see the elephant during feeding time, so he's more active than usual hehehe We timed our trip to be a little late in the afternoon so the animals were awake when we got there. The highlight of our trip was the tiger who was up and about. I wish he had let out a huge roar to top off the experience but really it was such a magnificent animal.. and scary to think that he's so big and can bite your whole head in one gulp LOL
The experience was a bit marred when we encountered a family along the way and the father was pointing to the tiger and telling his kids it was a lion!!! oh my gosh!! how can you not even distinguish a tiger from a lion!!! there was even a sign on the fence telling you what animal that was! I was so irritated (can't you tell?!) hahahaha
Anyway, we were also happy to see the hippo moving about.. usually we just see the top of his body in the water :)
The ostrich was alive and kicking as well :) I wonder what happened to his other friends? The last time we were there, there were three of them.. hmm..
So finally, we get to the playground - there were swings, slides, jungle gym and even a fountain park where water shoots out from the ground in sequence. It would have been nice to shoot it but there were kids running around naked in the water LOL Only in the Philippines, I think LOL
Dana went immediately to the slides. She didn't like the swing because she says she may fall. So up and down she went on the slides.
Dylan was different. Since this was his first time to actually be on the slide by himself, he was a bit wary, although he was looking closely at his Ate Dana. When Patrick put him on top of the slide and let him slide, the expression on his face was priceless! It was like, "what was that?!" and then he smiled LOL Then Patrick put him on top again, let him slide, this time he made a sound LOL He said, woooooow!! all the way down hahahahaha after that he was literally unstoppable :) Poor Patrick hahahaha
After the zoo, we went to the nearby shopping mall to buy some groceries. We were able to buy Dana a Jumpstart CD which we immediately played when we got home.
It was a good day! :)
Welcome Sofia Jasmine!
Just a couple of minutes ago, my sister, her husband and their baby just left. I was so surprised that they dropped by. Sharon probably knew I couldn't go to their place because it was so far so she made the trip herself.
At last, I saw my new niece, Sofia Jasmine, born last September 4, 2008. She's so cute!!
My sister gained a few pounds since I saw her last which is only natural as all women go through the same "torture" hahahaha
I hope I get to see more of the baby.. I will really have to take a trip next time..
Enjoy the pictures!!
Tadeo Get Together
Last Saturday, September 06, the Tadeo family had a small get together in Stevie and Toni's house in Marikina. Patrick, the kids and I went and so with Dimples, Jeric and Rhys. It was a good time for the kids/cousins to bond and for the grown-ups to catch up on things. For one, Stevie and Toni are expecting their 2nd child, Hannah Sofia within the month so that's pretty exciting for everyone.
The reason why we're all there was because their Dad and stepmother, Tita Flor, have sent a balikbayan box so we were getting our share from it. Dana got a ViewMaster, a Disney Princess Flashlight, lots of clothes, pencils, stickers, a book. Dylan got a ball gun and a toy car. They both got their share of chocolates and lollipops too. Of course, Dana is limited to one lollipop a day and she should drink water afterward. That's the rule hehehe But it seems that her Ate Den likes the lollipops as well ! LOL
There were a lot of diapers but they were too small to fit any of the kids. Dana doesn't wear diapers anymore so that leaves only the three boys. Lance, Stevie and Toni's eldest, wears XXL diapers, while Rhys (Dimples' son) and Dylan, wear XL. The diapers ended up going to Stevie and Toni for Hannah :) I did ask for one pack of diapers for my sister Sharon who also happened to give birth last September 4. In the end, Rhys and Dylan shared with the pull-ups that were also in the box. Dylan doesn't wear diapers anymore, except during the night. It really saves us on the cost of diapers LOL
There were also a lot of T-shirts, Den and I got some of them :) And of course, Patrick's favorite, lots of Spam canned goods :)
Patrick was also happy with the three pairs of shoes he got. It was also the right timing because his other rubber shoes were falling apart LOL
Anyway, I'll update the pics as soon as I consolidate them :) For the meantime, enjoy the pics that Dimples took with her camera phone :)
To Dad and Tita Flor, Maraming, Maraming Salamat Po!
The reason why we're all there was because their Dad and stepmother, Tita Flor, have sent a balikbayan box so we were getting our share from it. Dana got a ViewMaster, a Disney Princess Flashlight, lots of clothes, pencils, stickers, a book. Dylan got a ball gun and a toy car. They both got their share of chocolates and lollipops too. Of course, Dana is limited to one lollipop a day and she should drink water afterward. That's the rule hehehe But it seems that her Ate Den likes the lollipops as well ! LOL
There were a lot of diapers but they were too small to fit any of the kids. Dana doesn't wear diapers anymore so that leaves only the three boys. Lance, Stevie and Toni's eldest, wears XXL diapers, while Rhys (Dimples' son) and Dylan, wear XL. The diapers ended up going to Stevie and Toni for Hannah :) I did ask for one pack of diapers for my sister Sharon who also happened to give birth last September 4. In the end, Rhys and Dylan shared with the pull-ups that were also in the box. Dylan doesn't wear diapers anymore, except during the night. It really saves us on the cost of diapers LOL
There were also a lot of T-shirts, Den and I got some of them :) And of course, Patrick's favorite, lots of Spam canned goods :)
Patrick was also happy with the three pairs of shoes he got. It was also the right timing because his other rubber shoes were falling apart LOL
Anyway, I'll update the pics as soon as I consolidate them :) For the meantime, enjoy the pics that Dimples took with her camera phone :)
To Dad and Tita Flor, Maraming, Maraming Salamat Po!
Dylan got a Hair Cut!
This post is late in coming because things have been pretty busy at home, what with cleaning, writing, more cleaning and more writing and basically taking care of the kids.
Last August 24, Dylan got his hair cut at the local barber shop. We usually go to the Kids' Hair Salon in SM Manila because that's where the kids usually have their haircuts but they cost P250. It's still pretty affordable considering that your kids just sit quietly while they're getting their hair done. They have TV sets which air Barney, Dora and Blue's Clues shows so the kids are pretty much occupied. But since, we're really financially strapped we couldn't afford to and Dylan needed a hair cut so bad because his eyes are already getting irritated from his hair.
So we decided on taking him to the local barber shop (there's a number of them around where we live) which charge anywhere from P20 to P50 for kids' hair cuts. Mind you, some are air conditioned, some are not and they're pretty regular, home-based businesses so you can't really expect the luxurious treatment you get from going to the mall salons. Anyway, to us, as long as Dylan gets a good cut then its fine. Beggars can't be choosers, right?
Anyway, things went pretty okay. Dylan wasn't fussy at all although he would get tired of putting his head down but that's it. I did end up with some hair on me because I needed to calm him down a number of times (he got weirded out by the sound of the shaver!)
Over-all we spent P40 (yeah, cheapskates! LOL). After that we bought Kutchinta and Puto at our favorite store right across it. :)
Favorite Great American Seafood Cook Off
In our family, everyone loves seafood. If we can eat seafood every day we’ll be content and satisfied, especially if we get it fresh and natural straight from the local wet market, which is a blessing, because it’s quite near our place. Food doesn’t quite taste as good when you buy frozen from the supermarket, in my honest opinion.So, because we love seafood so much, I always make it a point to experiment with new recipes and the Internet is a great place to search. I came across this irresistible recipe from the 2008 Great American Seafood Cook Off. It’s called Louisiana Shrimp and Andouille Cassoule from Chef Brian Landry of Louisiana and as you can see from the picture, it’s positively scrumptious!
It looks very simple to make, the ingredients are readily available in the local market or at your neighborhood groceries and you don’t need any specialized equipment to cook the food in. I might substitute the beer with our local brand though just to give it that native touch. This recipe is perfect for us because it’s got shrimps and sausages that we all love. It also seems interesting because you don’t normally cook this kind of food in the Philippines, so cooking it and eating it will be an adventure for us.
To my friends who share my love for seafood, I know you want to download the recipe, so just visit their site and look for the cook off at www.GreatAmericanSeafoodCookOff.com. If you live in the United States, you may also vote for your own favorite recipe and possibly win a trip to New Orleans prize package that comes with two Southwest Airline roundtrip tickets, hotel accommodations, dining experiences and more!
Happy Cooking and Eating!
It's a Girl!!
Congratulations to my sister Sharon who just gave birth to a baby girl yesterday, September 4th in the wee hours of the morning.. The baby came early after a series of premature contractions last August. She was due on the 18th but can't wait to stay that long in the tummy, eh? :)
Hope I can take pictures soon!
Hope I can take pictures soon!
Thoughts of the Dead
If you believe that a person's spirit comes back to check on you and watch over you, then I believe my mom comes back in the form of a dragonfly. Always, on special occasions and on not so special ones, I usually find one in the house and always in the same place. Like the past couple of days, there has always been a dragonfly in the house.. when the kids see it, they always say, "Hi, Lola Benggoy!" Lola Benggoy is what they call their grandma :)
I figured, it's nearing her favorite grandchild's birthday so she's dropping in and I miss her even more..
Anyway, yesterday we went out to Quiapo to get my debit card for Paypal. While walking the streets of Quiapo, I couldn't help but remember when my mom and I used to come here to go to church, buy really cheap clothes (yeah!) and eat at Ma Mon Luk. She really loved the noodles here and so do I and so do Den and the kids. It was funny, coz one of Den's friends, Richard also came with us and he hadn't heard of Ma Mon Luk (oh what a sacrilege!) so I felt it was my duty to educate him on the finer things about noodles hehehe and true enough, he loved it and will take his family and friends there as well hehehehe
So when we came home, I was thinking pretty nice things about Mom and Ma Mon Luk and while Den was opening the door, a strange thing happened. For no particular reason, I expected Shadow, my mom's dog to bark as he usually does when he hears us coming home. But Shadow has been dead for over a year! I felt a chill run up my spine. And even stranger, Den stopped opening the door and looked at me and said, "I was expecting to hear Shadow barking!".. imagine that, the same thought!! it was strange and creepy, yet kind of like part of the mood...
my mom said that when Shadow died, she could smell her all the way up in California.. At first, she didn't know what the smell in her office was until she saw my email about Shadow's death.. and then she realized it for what it was - Shadow was saying goodbye to her...
I miss my mom.. wish I had a new dog..
I figured, it's nearing her favorite grandchild's birthday so she's dropping in and I miss her even more..
Anyway, yesterday we went out to Quiapo to get my debit card for Paypal. While walking the streets of Quiapo, I couldn't help but remember when my mom and I used to come here to go to church, buy really cheap clothes (yeah!) and eat at Ma Mon Luk. She really loved the noodles here and so do I and so do Den and the kids. It was funny, coz one of Den's friends, Richard also came with us and he hadn't heard of Ma Mon Luk (oh what a sacrilege!) so I felt it was my duty to educate him on the finer things about noodles hehehe and true enough, he loved it and will take his family and friends there as well hehehehe
So when we came home, I was thinking pretty nice things about Mom and Ma Mon Luk and while Den was opening the door, a strange thing happened. For no particular reason, I expected Shadow, my mom's dog to bark as he usually does when he hears us coming home. But Shadow has been dead for over a year! I felt a chill run up my spine. And even stranger, Den stopped opening the door and looked at me and said, "I was expecting to hear Shadow barking!".. imagine that, the same thought!! it was strange and creepy, yet kind of like part of the mood...
my mom said that when Shadow died, she could smell her all the way up in California.. At first, she didn't know what the smell in her office was until she saw my email about Shadow's death.. and then she realized it for what it was - Shadow was saying goodbye to her...
I miss my mom.. wish I had a new dog..
Dana's Artwork #2
I'm sure that when we were kids we used to occupy our time coloring pages and pages of these coloring books. It was fun and it was educational as well. This is a sample of Dana's recent coloring activity.I was really surprised because she has a different technique than when I did when I was young. I remember I just used one color to fill in the outlines and I stuck with the color of the picture.. like I'd color a flower red, leaves green and so on.. So, it was refreshing to see her do this on her own and it's really quite lovely, if I do say so myself LOL
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