Dana's Graduation from Kindergarten

Here's another milestone in Dana's life - her graduation from Kindergarten.  I can't believe that time has flown so quickly and she's finished with one year of school.  To top that, she's graduating as the Third Honor in her class! I couldn't believe it.  I knew she was consistently the 4th in ranking but she must have really done well during the last quarter of the year which is why she got promoted to Top 3.  You know what she said, "Mama, now that I'm Top 3, you should take me to Subic as a reward." hahahha That's my girl! hahaha

She was so proud to have earned a medal and it was also funny that I also got one, as recognition for parents of those in the honor roll.  So, Dana also got to put a medal on me and both of us went on stage a number of times :) That's what I call bonding moments! :D

This is Dana with her teacher, Ms. Del Rose Fantone.  Dana really learned a lot from her.  Dana even kisses her before leaving the classroom   during dismissal time.

I think it's really important that kids have a good rapport with their teachers especially during this stage in their life because it will define how well they will like school.  Parents can only do so much before kids go to school and then these fine teachers will take over the parents' job.  But that doesn't mean parents won't do anything else.  They still need to support their kids and continue with education at home.  I'm glad that my Mom was a teacher and I learned so much from her.

After the ceremony, we all went back home to rest for a while and change.  We took this opportunity to take some pictures with Dana's certificate and picture :)  Of course, she can't resist making funny faces even though we asked her not to haha

Another death in the family

It was on Saturday morning, April 13, that my Tita Baby called to say that my Lolo Ted (my mother's uncle) has passed away.  I was so surprised to hear that because when my Lola (his sister) came here last December, they were still able to see each other.  I knew that Lolo Ted had health issues but I didn't expect him to pass away so soon.  I wasn't even able to visit him when my Lola was here because of the hectic schedule last December.  As usual, it's only when someone passes that you really find the time to be there with them.

I remember Lolo Ted as one mischievous man LOL He used to trick my brother and I with "magic" - he'd rub the phosphorous from a match onto his fingers, then he'd rub his fingers together and there would be smoke and my brother and I would be so enthralled to see smoke coming from his fingers! Of course, we didn't know his trick then hahahha

He also used to make the best Laing in town.  Laing is a native Filipino dish made of coconut milk, taro leaves, and chili.  He made it so tasty and spicy that it's a great dish to eat with lots of hot rice! :)

We were only able to visit him and my Lola Betty that Monday evening.  There were so many errands during the weekend that there wasn't time and Patrick even had to cover an event so we couldn't go as early as we wanted.  On Monday, we could only leave after 7PM that night because of the color coding being enforced on vehicles.  We were a bit apprehensive during the drive to the funeral home because we weren't familiar with the roads going to Cavite.  Fortunately and thankfully for wikimapia, we were able to trace the right way.  The new Daang Hari road going to Dasmarinas really cuts travel time by half.  We got there around 9pm and we didn't get lost! :D

Lola Betty was surprised to see us.  She wasn't expecting us and she told me she was really glad I was there.  There were some hurts and misapprehensions between her and my mom which were inadvertently passed on to us.  That all faded away when she saw us.  To her, it was like the pain in her heart was lifted and I was glad for that.  We stayed there until around 11PM catching up.  We couldn't stay longer because it was Dana's graduation the next day and we had to be up early for that.

We did meet up with them after Dana's graduation the next day.  We were too late to be at the cremation but we did manage to be at their house.  This was practically the first time she'll get to meet Dana and Dylan so that was a big deal.

Hopefully, this won't be the last we'll see of her.  We must find time to see each other.

Pampering at Hot Nails Spa

March 11, 2010

I've always been on the lookout for a good hand and foot salon.  I'm used to doing it by myself (the cheapskate in me) but I figured I think I would want to experience being waited on hand and foot (literally) by someone else for a change :)

So, I looked around and compared services and prices.  There were many salons and spas in the malls but I figured they'd be too tired and they'd probably speed up the service because there were too many patrons.  I also don't like it when the attendants all chatter and gossip while they're working on you.  It ruins the atmosphere.  Call me picky but pampering to me should be a relaxing and quiet experience LOL

Anyway, the Internet is a lovely way to research.  I found Hot Nails Spa through the Net but I also saw their sign while passing Hemady Street in Quezon City on our way home.  So, that got me thinking.  "What's a nail and foot salon doing way out here?"  That piqued my curiosity.  So I emailed first and asked about their services.  And surprisingly, I got a reply from Ellen Edwards which I considered plus points for their salon because sometimes, people advertise their services but they don't take the time to answer their emails.



The first time I visited their salon, I went with Dana because we wanted some pampering just in time for Rej and Oneal's wedding (which I posted about earlier).  We both loved the way we were treated so we really wanted to come back.  So, for Dana's graduation, for which we all needed to look good again, Den, Dana and I went back to Hot Nails. :) Dana got treated to their Little Princess service, which was a basic ManiPedi for kids.  It also involved some bubble scrubbing perfect for Dana's pretty feet! :D  Here she is with her Attendant Eunice :)

Den got treated to their Global Chic ManiPedi Package (cleaning and nail polish).  It was her first time to be here and I believe she loved it as well :)

I opted for their Diva Scentsations Package, their Aromatherapy Hand and Foot Spa.  Oh and you also get a free drink of your choice - green tea, iced tea, soda, coffee or water :)

I have to say I look content and sleepy because the massage that was part of the service was sooo good! :) especially on my hands which are often tired because of being on the computer the whole day.  I now understand why people really spend a ton of money on their ManiPedi routines hahahaha  It looks like I'm hooked too hahahaha

So, if you guys want to feel pampered, head on over to Hot Nails Spa, #9 Hemady Ave., New Manila, QC.  They're open Mondays-Saturdays 11AM - 9PM and Sundays 10:300AM - 8:30PM.  Calling for reservations is encouraged and will be appreciated.

Dana's 6th Birthday

We didn't celebrate Dana's 6th birthday with a party.  The day coincided with her Final Exams so naturally, time should be devoted to studying (yeah right!) hahaha  I just bought some pancit malabon from our favorite store, Patrick brought some ice cream when he came home and that was Dana's party :)  The important thing was that she knew we remembered and that we're together as a family to celebrate it :) I did still promise her that on the weekend, we'll have our very own Mama-and-Daughter Day Out to celebrate her birthday.

So, on Saturday after her exams, Dana and I went to Gateway Cineplex 10 in Cubao to watch Alice in Wonderland.  Silly me, I haven't been to the theater in so long and I'm amazed that 3D is back LOL I never really liked 3D - blame it on my wacky eyesight but I'm content with 2D films hahahha and the price, oh the price!! It was almost double the regular ticket price of movies.. man! it's no wonder the government can't really staunch the proliferation of pirated DVD movies.. most people (I think) can't afford to spend this much on movies! :O

Anyway,  so Dana and I still went through with it.  Of course, naturally, she enjoyed it as it was her first 3D movie ever!

After the movie, we were hungry so we ate at Reyes Barbecue at the Food Court of the Gateway Mall.  Having regained some of our energy back, we both decided to go shopping like the good girls that we are LOL

We ended up buying swimwear and swimming implements for our upcoming summer trip :)

Pyromusical Competition at the Mall of Asia

February 28, 2010


Last February 21, 2010,  Den and her friends were resting at the house after their "Unending Race", a type of Fun Run event to commemorate their last field work for their CWTS (Civic Welfare Training Service) class.  Den ran the 2k bit while Philip her boyfriend won the 5K run.  Being the great Aunt that I am (wahahaha) we all went out and treated Philip to dinner at JT's Manukan Grille in San Juan.    He hasn't been able to eat there (their chicken inasal is to die for!) so we all trooped there and had a great time! :)

After that, Patrick suggested that we all visit Mall of Asia so that we can watch the First Pyromusical Competition.  We didn't expect to see such a huge crowd and Patrick ended up having to drive around for a place to park while we went to look for a good spot to watch.  We found a good vantage point (even though it's free) and the kids all had a great time watching the fireworks display.  The UK and China were the countries participating for that week and it was really worth the watch! :)  So naturally, we checked the schedule of the next performances and we made plans to be there for the next ones.  

The next batch of competition involved France and Japan on the 28th.  Patrick was fortunate enough to get free tickets from Hooters (really!) so that we have a better vantage point this time.  Since the show was scheduled to start at 7PM, we had dinner at Hooters, of course! :)  It was also the first time we've seen so many yachts so close to the breakwater - they're out to watch the fireworks too! :)

So we had dinner at Hooters while waiting for the show to start.  We had bottomless drinks, onion rings, Buffalo Wings, hamburgers and chicken with fries for the kids.

The kids were really preoccupied when the show started.  They were really loving the Japan part of the show because the fireworks exhibited  lots of smiley faces and recognizable characters.

All in all, it was a great and exciting night for everyone!

Rosero and Layug Nuptials: A Star Wars Wedding

February 20, 2010
Among the many events that we so looked forward to attending, Rej and Oneal's wedding is one of them.  They are our good friends from Star Wars Philippines and Patrick and I are fortunate to be part of their romance from the moment they met at one of our Star Wars events.  Their wedding was highly anticipated because, naturally, it will be Star Wars inspired! :D  Guests were encouraged to wear their costumes to the wedding and to the reception!!

Patrick and I considered getting costumes for the kids but we thought they might be too uncomfortable and end up being fussy throughout the night.  So, we just scoured the malls for our formal wear.  Patrick ended up buying another barong shirt and since Dana, Dylan and I had no formal wear (we don't usually go to formal events LOL) we really had to invest in these clothes.  

Dana and I also went to Hot Nails Spa along Hemady Street in Quezon City where we splurged on foot spa services hahaha  Dana enjoyed being pampered so much that she wanted to return immediately and she couldn't stop talking about it :) 

Dana had her hair in two separate braids but you can't really see it here :P  Dylan kept playing with his tie, I think he felt suffocated hahaha

All in all, I think we cleaned up good!

I have to say, their choice to hold both the ceremony and the venue at Fernwood Gardens was a good one. The St. Francis Chapel was small and intimate which made the ceremony more solemn and meaningful.  It also helped that the priest was a bit upbeat so it didn't seem too tight and boring for everyone else hehe I also adored the Star Wars-inspired attire of all the participants in the wedding ceremony :) The way they fused the Star Wars design into the traditional barong was genius!!  Here are some pictures taken at the wedding procession.  Admire and be awed!

Left: Oneal with his parents
Right:  The Bride, Rej
Bottom Left: Dante (his barong has an imprint of R2D2)

Bottom Right:  Paul (look closely at his shirt and it's got the imprint of C3PO)

Other pictures can be found here.

While waiting for the actual start of the reception program, here we are waiting at our table.  When the kids got bored, we walked around the venue and found some parrots and we couldn't resist taking pictures :)

That's when we spotted the Battalion of Stormtroopers lining up for the Wedding March :)Here they are! Dylan loved seeing them but didn't really want to stay near them, even for a picture haha It's a bit hard to take a photo of Darth Vader because he's black!! So forgive the blurry effect hehehe


Until now, I still don't know who is the Stormtrooper with Dana :) But thanks for the Photo Op ! :)

So, we were also lucky that Rej and Oneal were waiting for their turn and we got a chance to take a picture with the lovely bride :)

Aids and Macy were also gracious enough to pose with the kids :)



It was unfortunate though that Dana got locked in the bathroom (it was the first time she went by herself).  She also ended up throwing up as the night wore on.  It was probably from fatigue and heat because her "Family Day" was held during that same day.  We didn't finish the program but at least we were there for the wedding ceremony :)

To our friends, Rej and Oneal.  Congratulations! and May the Force be with you, Always! :D

Dana's Family Day in School

February 20, 2010

I posted an entry about Dana having an ongoing school fair in school.  As part of the week-long celebration, the final day of the fair, there was a family day which was participated in by the whole school.  The kids were required to wear shirts to show which team they belong to.  Dana's grade level was supposed to wear yellow.  We also bought Dylan a yellow shirt because members of the family attending the event were encouraged to wear the same color shirt too.

As you can see they both look good!

I'm proud to say that Dana was active in participating in the games.  She volunteered to participate in the sack race and here she is!  Unfortunately, in her excitement a few hops from the starting line, she fell. Here's the video, if you want to see it.

Still, she got up and still went on.  Go Dana!

After that, her classmates all went to her and asked her how she was.  They're a tight-knit group of friends :)




During breaks or when it became too hot outside, we all sought refuge inside Dana's classroom hehehe It was airconditioned and the perfect place to rest.  Dylan occupied himself with reading the books in their reading nook.  It was a good chance for us to see how he likes being in a classroom setting.  It was nice! but maybe it was because Dana's teacher has such a rapport with kids :)



It sure was a tiring but enjoyable day!

Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl with April Henry

It’s always a bright day when you have something to read – even better when you receive a complimentary book from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. This time I got to review and offer my own honest opinions on the book, Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl with April Henry.

I’m a fan of thrillers so it’s nice having to start a new series by a new author.  The Face of Betrayal has 3 feminine protagonists working together to solve crimes.  Their present case involves the sudden disappearance of 17-year old US Senate page Katie Converse.  To me, it was something similar like James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series but it can stand on its own.  What’s nice about the book is that having 3 separate protagonists provides 3 different perspectives on the crime and how they all contribute with solving the puzzle.  Each also has her own personal demons, some obvious and some hinted at, which may be future topics in the succeeding books.

It’s pretty simple how the usual suspects are presented in the book but I was kind of hoping for more serious twists and turns. It was a fast read though because the chapters are short although you have to pay some attention to the dates to get with the story better. 

All in all, it was a good and fast read.  It would be fun to know how the 3 friends fare in the succeeding books.

Dana's School Fair

February 15, 2010

One of the things that I most remember when I think about my days in school during elementary is the school fair.  I often look forward to the rides, the food and the days of no classes like any normal child :)  This is Dana's first school fair and she's as excited as I was :) There's nothing more exciting than knowing that you'll see your child perform in public and you just want to show your support :)  I know they've worked hard at their dance number and they can't wait to show off to parents, teachers and other school mates.

Dana's school fair was a week long affair.  There were rides (a ferris wheel and a dinosaur ride) and booths with food, games and prizes.  The first day, the kids paraded around the school and even outside where they walked along the streets :) Dana complained of being tired from the heat but she was so happy she said it was like going on a field trip hahha aaah the simple joys of youth! :D  Look at the picture and you'll see Dana trying to look cool haha  They're waiting for their turn in the program.  Admittedly, they've gotten quite restless as the day wore on :)

To pass the time, the kids just played around, had a few drinks to quench their thirst, explored the booths and basically tried to keep quiet and behaved.  

Here are Dana and Dylan, of course, they're wearing matching shirts hahaha and Dylan, naturally, is making his dinosaur faces :)  It's quite funny that when we bought these shirts we didn't know at that time that Dana will be needing a yellow shirt.  They both love watching Spongebob Squarepants so we immediately bought these shirts for them when we saw them at the mall :D

Here's Dana's dance video.