Home-made Holiday Treats

Don't know what to give your relatives, friends and loved ones this Christmas season?

Why not try Zette's goodies !!! Home-made yummy holiday treats guaranteed to cheer and satisfy your tastebuds.

visit: http://www.freewebs.com/barangay/zettegoodies.htm

why a three year old don't dream of being a priest

Last Wednesday we invited Fr. Ramon Atanacio, our parish priest to officiate a blessing rite for our Sibol school and as well as our GK houses in our Gawad Kalinga site. After my wife and I fixed the things in the school, I went to pick up my three year old son Pio at home and on we went to the church where fr. Mon is waiting. I prepared Pio prior to meeting the priest by telling him that we will be fetching a friend, our local priest, while also telling something about him and what to expect.

And so when we finally get to the church, I asked the good priest to sit in front with Pio in between us, since the front right passenger seat of the van is good for two. I introduced him to Pio and told him how he got his name. Fr. Mon greeted him with warm hellos and tried to ask questions from him but my son refused to answer and is in fact frowning a bit. Fr. Mon is already wearing his long, clean, off white vestment which I admire because of the intricate embroidery all over. That's when I asked Pio, "Would you like to be a priest someday? Look at the nice clothes that father is wearing." Pio answered in a disgusted tone, "Eh pang girl naman yan eh!" (that is for girls!). We both laugh our hearts out at him while fr. Mon continues, "Oo nga, pang girl ba ito?" (yes, is this for girls?)

After the rites, I told my wife the incident at home and she was quick to add, "so that's why, when father was blessing and touring the houses, Fr. Mon kept on sprinkling holy water over Pio while murmuring 'Pio, Pio,...'"

A Merry Marian Month

The start of September really had me conditioning myself for the busy schedule ahead for the celebration of Mama Mary's birthday on September 8. You see, Suzette and I were assigned as the new PPC representative for CFC in our parish last July and of course the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes has its programs to celebrate this Marian month.

One of the activities is the 'Harana Kay Maria', where the different organizations of the parish will render a song or dance number for this musical concert. Sacrifices were really had to be made to attend the practices on September 2, 4 and 6. Most of my co members in CFC had to skip dinner, leave work early, and braved the rains and floods just to be there during the rehearsals. Their full support has made our job in the PPC worthwhile.

Our presentation is an acoustic rendition of 'Mariang Ina Ko' and we thought of showing to the audience our CFC community as Families in the Holy Spirit Renewing the Face of the Earth, which is precisely the Mission and Vision of Couples for Christ. So we also involved our children in the production who incidentally are also members of the Kids for Christ and Youth for Christ.

Next, I made a short slide show presentation that greets Mama Mary and show to the public what the CFC community is all about. The plan is to play the clip as we do our presentation. It amazes me how this clip was produced. It's as if God had a hand in helping me put it all together. The timing was perfect as the clip was synchronized to the whole length of our performance. Although I really had no basis on how to time the whole clip except for using the MP3 file of Carol Banawa's version as a guide that I had in my iTunes which has a totally different arrangement and play length to that of our own version of the song.

And given the limited time we had after it was announced by the organizers that we can submit our logo or show something about our organization on the video wall, I started working on it after coming home from work on the 5th and finished it 2:30am the next day just in time for the final submission during last rehearsals later that day.

I've always been a devotee of our blessed Mother and she has always come to the aid of my family every time I asked for her intercession. This first Sunday of the month was no exception. With two days before her birthday, I was hoping that I could have the sacrament of reconciliation during the mass because it's been a month already that I have not confessed to a priest and I want to celebrate in the Eucharist during that Sunday. For the past Sundays that we attended mass, we did not see the green light on the confessional. And when it happens to be lit, the lines would normally have formed already making you think twice of going in because you'll definitely miss the homily.

We arrived just after the entrance hymn for the 5pm mass and upon entering the church, we knew the priest is already there waiting for us. It is not so often that we see the confessional open before the mass starts but this day is going to be special. We saw the green light and would you believe there was no line on both sides of the confessional? Suzette and I did not talk about going to confession but at that instant, we made eye contact and entered the two doors waiting for us. Our kids would be waiting in line outside. And if that is not enough, our confessor would happen to be Fr. Tonet who is one of the priests that Suzette and I look forward to hearing homily every mass.

We finished confession with enough time to start listening to the gospel. Fr. Rolly was the celebrant but a deacon gave the homily. The Lord's message that day was about brotherly correction. The sermon was delivered in a way that it reminds us about how we handle delicate personal relationships in line with correction. On how things could be handled in private and not in public while still giving and showing love and respect to the persons involved. In a way I think it is related to reconciliation in the sense that sometimes after trying to correct a point, disagreements occur and you may end up also losing valuable love and friendships.

This very incident happened to us about a year ago and after we've said our peace be with yous to the people around us, I was surprised to see a teary eyed friend who approached me from my blind side and held my hand and offered her peace while also giving me a buzz on the cheek. The same was offered to my wife who by now was was taken aback and with much surprise and then asked our friend if the peace she's offering is now for real. Tears flowed while both of them hugged and speak to each other again for the first time since that fateful incident last year. It didn't matter that we were causing a scene as we were positioned inside the church standing up just beside the right front side entrance while the people around us watched. I have learned our Lord's reconciliation in so many ways that day.

Early the next day, I brought Dang at our school bus station then proceeded to bring Suzette and Pio to Tita Rose's house in Sanville after which I went back home to get my other two kids and bring them to their respective schools. It was a hectic day and Suzette is going on a three day retreat in Makiling with our friend, Rose. They will be dropping off Pio to my in-laws along the way in Paranaque. This is the start of my Natay day - where I'd be both Dad and Mom to the kids while Zette is not around. Our eldest daughter Isay is also sick this day and so from time to time I have to monitor her by phone from the office.

I had to leave the office around 4pm to fetch Jiego from school as I needed to be in church by 5pm. When I arrived in the church, the organizers of the holy Rosary and lighting of candles were already there talking about the details. Our community is assigned to lead the fourth mystery and I am tasked to represent CFC. I would like to thank Marvin who graciously offered to be there to help lead the Rosary should I am not able to be there on time.

The Rosary was immediately followed by a high mass which was affected by a brownout that started during the offertory until the end. Outside the church it was raining hard and the streets outside were experiencing heavy traffic due to some flooding also. I immediately went home after the mass to fetch my kids for the concert and rushed back to the church because I was worried that the road conditions may cause me to be late in returning back to church. Anyway, all my worries subsided when the electricity just went back up after we arrived in church.

The show ran delays due to the power outage but it was enough for all our participants in the presentation to be there just in time. Our group would go to one corner and practice our song and final bow. Everybody was fired up and ready to go. We were careful in not leaving any minor details and so we also checked on the organizers regarding our video clip and gave instructions to the audio video people on how to sync the clip with our performance. Everything is a go.

We entered the stage and proceeded to our positions just as we rehearsed it. Before Danny would strum his first note, I looked to the video wall and could see the starting frame of our clip. So off we sang our hearts out but then something did not went right. The clip failed to play! This is what the av people explained to us after our performance. Awwww! They told us before that they have reviewed our clip and it was working fine. Perhaps they failed to test it in the other laptop they would be using that night. Oh well!

While waiting backstage for the grand finale, I sensed the frustrations and disappointments of my comrades. Sure, we were all more than ready for our performance but we also wanted to share that clip with our parishioners. It could have had more impact. But more than being sad for what had happened, I felt happy because I now know that this group deserves to carry the name of Couples for Christ. Every night we attended for practice and even during the program itself, everybody sacrificed and show their love for Mama Mary. We did not only give our all but we also showed to everyone what our group is all about. It's about friendship, commitment and standing tall together for a cause. We face challenges together and help each other in times of need. I felt proud doing our final bow together that night.

A day after the concert, I tried to put our performance which my daughter Isay took a video of and the slide show I made earlier together in one video. I couldn't believed it that everything was in sync! It's as if God made all the timing perfect. Not a second over or under. And so now I am sharing to you all how the performance should have been and to you Mama Mary, we love you!

YouTube : CFC WB3A Harana Kay Maria 2008

Smile! Mama Mary Loves You!

The following is my letter to my chapter mates in our Catholic community, Couples for Christ. We had a song number presentation for Mama Mary's birthday and were high up in spirits during our performance. It includes the link to our presentation on YouTube.

Smile! Mama Mary Loves You!

Thank you dear all for your efforts and sacrifices to make our presentation a success and a memorable one.
You have all shown your heart and love for Mama Mary and this is so much more than our presentation itself.

I felt all your disappointments and frustrations regarding the 'technical difficulty' that occurred that left our video clip presentation blank. But I also felt happy and proud because we were all there ready to show to everybody what our community is all about and how this family of ours prides itself in carrying the name of Couples for Christ. You have given all your precious time, skipping dinner, braving rains and floods just to be in the practices and have shown your love for our beloved Mother. Though our group may be small now, time and again we have shown our commitment and dedication to things that matter most. We don't chide and kid ourselves but rather help each other take those little steps towards our goal of holiness. I am very proud to be with you all.

I have made my HKM Reloaded version - of what our presentation should have been last night. Just picture yourself again performing but this time with our props. I'm sure Mama Mary is proud of your hearts and your performances. With my right fist I pound my chest twice and stand proudly saluting you with the love of our God. Enjoy!

Viit YouTube and search for: CFC WB3A Harana Kay Maria 2008

Prayer of Commendation

This morning we were alarmed by the continuous ringing of our doorbell. I went towards our gate to see who it was and saw ate Virgie, our neighbor across our house, crying and asking for assistance. Her brother, kuya Rudy, as we fondly calls him is trapped in the bathroom. Apparently, he was there for a long time and his sisters got worried that he wasn't answering.

With the help of other neighbors, we put him in my revo and rushed him to the hospital. No amount of CPR and other devices were enough to revive him. He was already DOA.

Kuya Rudy is one of the respected elders in our neighborhood. Everyday he would wake up early in the morning to sweep our street. He would also notice every people that pass by and helps visitors locate the house they are looking for and as well as take note of suspicious strangers. During fiestas he would organize the setting up of festive banners and decorations and make sure that the kids will play the "palayok" (hitting a claypot blindfolded with a stick) and other games.

To my children, he is Mang Rudy. He helps watch over my kids when they are playing bikes or running around. Every morning before I bring them to school he is already there, sweeping our street. But this morning we did not see him nor did we notice him there at all. My kids will be shocked when they get home and hear the news.

In the hospital, I was also thinking of what to do for kuya. I rushed to the canteen to buy a bottle of water for ate Virgie who is now also being administered with oxygen and a pill to lower her blood pressure.

I called my wife and told her what was happening. Before we were about to put our phones down, I remember and asked her to get our Handbook of Prayers by Charles Belmonte and James Socias. I asked Suzette to look for the Prayer of Commendation and to dictate it to me to pray over kuya Rudy.

I realized that kuya perhaps was not able to have his last confession or communion. As Catholics we can also give our blessings and pray to our brothers and sisters who are in need. If a priest is not available immediately, we can help pray for an unfortunate brethren specially when he is dying.

Prayer of Commendation
(when the moment of death seems near, the following prayer may be said:)

I commend you, my dear brother/sister, to almighty God,
and entrust you to your Creator.
May you return to him
who formed you from the dust of the earth.
May holy Mary, the angels, and the saints
come to meet you as you go forth from this life.
May Christ who was crucified for you
bring you freedom and peace.
May Christ who died for you
admit you into his garden of paradise.
May Christ who died for you
admit you into his garden of paradise.
May Christ, the true Shepherd,
acknowledge you as one of his flock.
May he forgive all your sins,
and set you among those he has chosen.
May you see your Redeemer face to face,
and enjoy the vision of God for ever.

Amen.

Hail Holy Queen may be said.

Banaue - Sagada Adventure

We never had a serious break this summer as I was busy attending to our family business and my brother who is helping me was vacationing in the US. So when he finally arrived about two weeks before school time starts again, I decided to bring my wife to Sagada. We were joined by our two eldest daughters and friends Manda and Shari.

Nope, I've never been there and I don't know how to go there. So off I searched in the web for clues on how to get there. Eventually I puts bits and pieces from different blogs so here's my own blog and tips on how to get there.

You can get to Sagada via Baguio which is about four hours from Manila. Baguio to Banaue is another six hours and from Banawe to Sagada via Bontoc is another three hours. This time, we decided to take the alternate route directly from Manila to Banawe instead.

Road travel to to Banaue from Manila is nine hours. It's good that we decided to take the bus instead of bringing our own vehicle. If you take the Florida Bus transportation, they have only one Deluxe aircon bus that goes to and from Banaue daily. Bus leaves at around 10pm and you will arrive Banaue around 9am the next day. Night travel is quite comfy as the driver seems to be just taking his time leisurely driving and you can have a reasonable night sleep before your adventure the next day. Florida Bus is at the corner of Earnshaw st. and Lacson st. (formerly Gov Forbes), though there is another bus company Autobus that also ply the same route. You may need to buy your tickets in advance at least a day before.

When you arrive at the terminal in Banaue, you will be greeted by drivers and operators who will offer you tours of the place or transfers to Bontoc or Sagada. You can go to Sagada via the communal public transportation which is also limited and runs on scheduled trips or hire one for yourself. In our case we hired one and divided the fee among the number of persons we are in our group. We decided on this because we would want to stop every now and then when some places of interest would catch our attention.

As of this writing, price of diesel is at 55 pesos per liter. Trekking the rough mountainous terrain from Banaue to Bontoc for two hours and another hour to Sagada is no joke and not cheap either. It will cost you at least 3,600 pesos one way. Our driver - friend Joel Tindungan however was kind enough to give us some discount and we also get him to fetch us at Sagada three days after to bring us back to Banaue. These guys will serve you one way and return back with no passengers on their load.

If you get a chance to have Joel as your driver (09217503248), he can be your tour guide in Banaue as well. You may want to polish your chess skills also as this guy has only one defeat in his Banaue home town. Near the bus terminal, you can check out the viewpoint to see the famous Banaue rice terraces and be on guard for boys playing with their wood carved scooters. There are also genuine Ifugao huts for rent here where you can try to live for a day or two and experience how it is to live in their native homes.

There are a lot of affordable inns and lodging houses in Sagada. We were lucky to meet Tita Mary (09196728744 or 09296257419) of homey and comfy Residential Lodge. The place have rooms for couples or groups but you also need to book ahead as we find many travellers from Baguio are requesting for rooms by chance to all of the inns in Sagada after they have arrived. This retired teacher is so warm and hospitable in dealing with her visitors that you would really want to call her Tita (Auntie) Mary. And if you ever feel cold from the weather or tired and want to relax after long hikes and cave spelunking, then try the brewed Sagada coffee and mountain tea they serve to the visitors.

For things to do and adventure, you should go and visit Dina Calpi Salcedo, the friendly and accomodating lady in the tourist information center. Would you believe she walks three kilometers daily to work and another three going back? She is the person to ask for suggestions on the places of interests in Sagada and how to get there. Their tourist center is so organized that if you approach any one of the tour guides, you will be pointed to do your transactions with the tourist center. Transport to all the spots can also be arranged here. And when you get your assigned guide (we met Pid, Crescio and Tigger), try to start a conversation with them. The people in Sagada are very friendly but they are shy and modest in a sort of way. You will be surprised with the many stories and history that they will want to share with you.

Don't miss the sunrise at Kiltepan where the view of Sagada's magnificent rice terraces is really a sight to behold. You can also see the Cordillera mountain ranges from here where the sight of the heavens are touching the earth is really breath taking. There are lots of activities waiting for you in Sagada - from visiting the burial grounds in Lumiang caves to spelunking in Sumaging cave. Keep your eye on the lookout for hanging coffins near Echo Valley and be refreshed from the cool waters running from Bokong falls or Lake Danum. Along the way from Banaue to Sagada you can catch portions of the Chico river which is the longest river here in Luzon.

Food in Sagada is an experience. Each restaurant has their own specialties and each one with a story to tell. Ever heard of a foreigner who was stranded in this town and later on fell in love with the place? He happens to be a French chef and he whoops up buffet dinners every Saturday night at the Log Cabin house. We were not able to sample his famous buffet because we it was fully booked then. We were lucky enough to try the ala carte menu served on other days but also almost missed it as we would later find out that they require advance reservations.

Try the chicken paprika served with black rice and bowl of chili at the Bilig cafe, the everyday breakfast meals at Ganduyan Inn and Resto, the specialties of Yoghourt house, Masferre's and The Lemon pie house. Sagada has their own version of the halo halo that you can find in the wet market, complete with macaroni and avocado from among the usual ingredients we have here in Manila. In the evening there's Persimoon bar for those who would like a beer or two. And for souvenirs, visit all the shops there as they sell different and unique things from each other so shopping here is not boring and redundant. Say hi to Mae Lumbag and her son if you get to see them.

The sights, the tranquility of the place, and the people interwoven in this fascinating place called Sagada is really enchanting. Go and have an adventure in Banaue and Sagada now. You may not want to leave the place!

Visit our other travel blogs at http://www.freewebs.com/barangay/

vacation with friends minus family

If you already have a family, you are most likely to go on vacation with them.
This summer, after fifteen years of marriage, Suzette and I went on an overnight vacation with five other parent friends without our children. My wife has her own blog about this. We left our five children behind to have this enjoyable and relaxing trip to Tagaytay. It is definitely something different from the usual family vacations that we had as parents are free to do as they wish without looking after the kids.

And as if that trip wasn't enough, a month later, we went on another three day and three nights adventure trip to Sagada with another couple. Although our eldest and second daughter were with us this time, it is still another different experience with more mature company rather than being harassed and or limited when with smaller children.

i'm a self appointed travel photographer

i've always liked photography. my first slr was the canon eos 620 which i would later sold to finance my eos 3. i also have several lenses that reinforce my film camera. with the arrival of digital cameras, it took me awhile to decide to buy one because initially, prices for digital slr is way beyond my budget and i opt not to buy compact digital cameras because i am not happy with the short battery life and slow shutter response from the first models that came out.

but last year i decided to buy my first prosumer digital camera, the canon s5is. it is placed somewhere between the point and shoots and the digital slrs. the large 4gb memory space that it provides leaves me shooting anything from people, landscapes, rocks, flowers, insects, and other objects that catches my attention. i also bought a waterproof and shockproof olympus sw-850 camera to complement the s5is in unfriendly environment situations.

and so, now i'm happy firing away shot after shots of scenes, unmindful of the limited film count my old trusty eos3 has. i've documented our travels in lucban, baguio, batangas, sagada, banawe, bontoc, subic, davao, and countless family occassions such as parties, graduations, school activities much to my delight. though i can never be a professional portrait or wedding photographer, my family and friends hail my travel photos a lot because of the way i record details that help remember our stay in those places.

i miss the feel and magic of my trusty slr though, but i know someday i can use my old lenses again when i get my hands on my first digital slr.

waterproof camera?

i recently bought an olympus SW-850. why? because i wanted to record memories for our adventure trip to banawe- bontoc-sagada. i don't want to bring my trusty canon s5is along the trip and without any trial use beforehand, i would completely rely on this pocket-sized point and shoot camera.

and why is that again? first, i am going spelunking and i might damage my other camera. second, the moisture from the cold sagada environment might also seep through my canon's electronics. third, i can always lend this to my children when they need to take some pictures when i'm not around. yes, even little pio at two years old have already took some shots with it. the camera is supposed to be waterproof for 10 feet and shockproof for 3 feet.
and so, i am ready to challenge the rugged outdoor adventure of mountains, caves, rivers, and falls.

image quality is decent though i would prefer the sharper images my other cam takes. it is equipped with 8 megapixels and an optional 8gb memory card which is more than enough for a thousand pictures. it takes video clips and has image stabilizers as well. i find the custom scenes selections very useful because it lessens the time for me to make camera adjustments especially inside the caves. it has decent low-light taking picture capability and its small size really makes it easy to carry around especially if you need both of your hands in climbing the walls of the caves.

you may need to buy an extra battery pack if you are trigger happy like me. i find the battery life rather short (way below what's in the manual). luckily, i get to charge it in during our rest in between our itinerary. i also miss the wider angle 28mm lens that would be great for shooting panoramic landscapes and close indoor shots.

but hey, for 10,000 pesos, this gadget gives you more value for its worth! am hoping to go snorkeling soon so that i can test the quality of its underwater images.

picture slide shows

how do you cope with the many jpeg files that your digital camera takes? surely, you will not be making print copies of them right? most often, they are stuck in your memory card that you wish you've had transferred before that next picture taking event. Or worse, they eat up a large space in your hard drive that makes your computer go slow.

in my case, i make pretty slide shows out of them. with a little bit of help from my wife, we sort and add some creative touches like music, video clips and effects to keep these memories. yes, we have replaced our picture albums with picture slide shows per occasion, travel, or any event you can think of. you can then burn them to play directly to your dvd and watch together from you home theater or television.

it's fun to watch with the family and great with friends too. this summer, our carpool parents group went outing to tagaytay without our kids and it was really something different. after we compiled the video, we invited them to watch it together and we had fun and excitement seeing it altogether while reminiscing the trip and at the same time planning our next trip together again.

crank that soulja boys - ugly version

one evening, Dang requested that i download from the internet the now popular song by the soulja boys - crank that soldier boy. i did not realize that it is now a phenomenal hit song until i hit the search button. the query yielded so many versions of the song:

crank that spiderman, crank that batman, crank that spongebob, crank that forrest gump, alvin and the chipmunks version, etc.

the tune sounds popular in my head but i thought it is only because it is almost always on air and is popular among teenagers. then my youngest son Pio who is now about two and half years old came rushing near the computer and started dancing. he would also touch the ground and raise one of his legs as if doing the break dancing. he would also sing along the refrain delightly shouting "youuuuuu!" as he dances. even after the music is finished he would beg to repeat it again and so even when i start playing the other versions, he would continue to sing and dance with it. then i started to kid him singing also "pangit youuuuu!, pangit youuuuu!" (translated as you are ugly or ugly you) with the beat and so he also started singing and pointing at me or his brother and sisters. this is how our own version of soulja boys' song started.

every now and then that this music is played over the airwaves, we would start chanting "pangit youuuuu!" and pointing fingers at each other. Pio continues to chide most of us also with this song but when you start to point at him singing "pangit youuuuu!" , he would frown and say "hindi ako pangit!" (I'm not ugly!)

kids' summer activities

aside from the usual beach outings or visit to the provinces, perhaps you are one of those parents who want their kids busy during summer. some of our parent-friends would opt to leave summer as really a time for doing nothing, just relaxing, catching up on deprived sleep and have their brains and muscles rest. i think it's a good idea to save the extra money you have to shell out for summer activities. Besides, you can always tell everybody "hey don't bother me I'm on vacation!". i can vividly remember my childhood days playing, eating, resting, and just bumming around because that was vacation time.

nowadays you can choose from so many activities that you think your kids have interest in (or at least you do). is it our economy or some business minded people's idea to entice you into spending more during summer?

anyway, aside from the usual art classes or sports clinics, here are some of the things that our children have tried and maybe you can also choose from:
- advanced swimming lessons (hmmm, why do they always dog paddle during resort outings?)
- learn soccer! (we'll never excel in basketball)
- join a reading club (like Bookhive! - check my other blog on this)
- enter advance art classes like Acryllic and Oil painting. ( I prefer watercolor)
- train at McDonald's kiddie crew - (kids find it fun and filling!)
- enroll at voice lessons - (my eldest tried classical years ago, too bad she stopped, I think she'd be good at it)
- enroll at modern dance lessons (hiphop / street dancing - this is what ate Isay like instead)
- earn 50 pesos a day working at a medical diagnostics center (my other kids envy Ayi on this!)
- cooking and baking lessons (if mommy knows how then she can teach the kids instead)
- install a wifi or lan connection in your home and have a grand multiplayer PC games instead! (my son and I definitely enjoy this!)

do you sing or dance for your kids?

Last Saturday, March 15, we had our grade seven graduation party held at Sanville. Parents get to mingle with familiar faces and marvel at how their little girls have grown. Being in a small school, parents and children know well most of each other. Where can you find a school that call everybody 'titos' and 'titas'? Here in Paref schools, we are truly a family.

We had a simple dinner and program that is truly an affair to remember. The program was hosted by tito Mark and tita Giselle, while our hosts tito Nonoy and tita Rose were also gracious to have raffled off two paintings from their 'Walang Ingay 'art gallery. Watch out also for this young, talented musicians from Bulacan who rendered popular songs throughout the evening. They call themselves the Blue Cheese band! Some parents even sang onstage with the band that solicited wild applauses and cheers from everybody.

Highlights also of the evening were secret performances by Dads and Moms offered to their daughters for the occasion. Parents went out of their way to practice a few days before the event with some even having to practice only on that day. Kudos to everybody who made their daughters proud and happy that magical night in Mystic Rose drive.

Here's the footage of those performances:

Dads' Presentation: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rGEsipD3bwY

Moms' Presentation: http://youtube.com/watch?v=aqFFJT4W47c

would you consider a small school?

It is now summer and most of us parents are thinking of what school to send our young kids or perhaps transfer them. Of course there's the popular Ateneo, LaSalle, Poveda, Assumption, and others, just to name a few.

But would you consider a school where class population is only 25 to 32 kids per class?
How about a school who aside from the usual teaching of academics also give importance to the personal formation of each child?

Here, we know our kids' friends and parents pretty much. Some families have grown to be close to one another that they even go out on dinners or outings together. Parents band together in support of school activities while kids treat parents as their very own 'titos' and 'titas'. These schools are not just a learning place but also a home to all of us.

These are but some of the reasons why our daughters go to Rosehill in Antipolo and our son to Northfield. At the start, we knew Antipolo is far away from where we live in Quezon City but after seven years now, we feel happy and blessed with the schools that we have.

crying over delicious crepes and sundaes

As much as possible, we try to learn more about our children through family meetings. This would include follow up on each one's responsibility, opinion and other matters.

This time around, Suzette wanted to talk outside our home because she was not feeling too good after talking with our eldest daughter the other day regarding relationships. So off we went along Tomas Morato looking for a place where it's convenient to talk. At first people suggested coffee shops but I objected because Jiego and Ayi are not yet allowed to have coffee.

We end up choosing Cafe Breton so that the little ones can have some dessert. Isay and Jiego had huge ice cream sundaes, while Dang and Ayi chose mouth-watering dessert crepes. 'Zet and I had coffee, hot and cold in that order plus a little of this sundae and that crepe.

Mommy then brought out a short reading that consisted of a list of different emotions and wishes of a child and asked our kids to write on a sheet of paper what struck them the most and why. Yes, 'Zet had paper and pens with her.

At first the place had not so many customers and so the children were also cozy choosing and writing their notes from the list. Then one by one we talked to them and ask them while trying to understand why they chose that particular line from the list. First came Jiego who was in tears when we were asking him why he thinks we should give him more freedom. He couldn't answer us. And so my wife tried to pry it out by telling him the things and chores that he does and ask if this was his concern. After some sorting, we understood what he meant. He does not want to be nagged on his chores but since he does not remember to do them everyday, he instead requests for a short list on what needs to be done. The list he intends to leave it in a place in his room where he can see if often thus sparing him from Mom's wrath.

Children have many emotions inside them but what they say does not necessarily describe how they feel. It's hard enough to try to have good communication with them but understanding them is of a different level. I guess no matter how many parenting courses we attend and facilitate at, it's really hard to raise our children, what with each one having different personalities and needs. It is good though that we have learned some tools in dealing with them in actuality.

Take for example Dang, our second daughter. She was also in tears when she said that we are not giving much importance to her. My wife almost fell off her chair because I agree with her when she explained to her that we are not amiss in asking her what she needs and that we really try to accommodate their wants and needs. And so after some discussions we realize that when she is saying "no, it's okay mommy", it's really the other way around. For a while we thought that every thing's comfortable with her but now we realize that we should double check on her if we really understood her right.

By this time, the place is full already and many guests are glancing at our table every now and then because from the happy festive mood that we were from the start, our faces have turned up with red eyes and noses, tears rolling down and voices somewhat either in the upper tone or hushed mode. I'm glad that the joy of eating the wonderful desserts is keeping us from ever going more emotional than we already are.

Isay on the other hand wants us out of the house more often. She believes we should be out on dates or so because she feels affected whenever Dad and Mom have some disagreements. Perhaps she also probably suspects that we are falling out of love. Hmmmm?! Just after our talk about the other day this is what she chose over the other things on the list? Is this how they look at us now? I never realized that it made them feel uncomfortable and or troubled. And so it was a chance for us to explain more to her the intricacies of being in a relationship. And we assured them all that we are still very much in love. While we were taken aback by her letter, at least it too helped us calm down a bit as Suzette and I were also beginning to having some disagreements while handling our first two children that opened up that night.

By the time Ayi was ready, everybody was in a happy mood again. Ayi's simple wants and innocence made us cheerful once more. We wrapped up with resolutions and hope for the best that we can all stand by them.

After I asked for our bill, I can't help notice the face of our waiter. I am not sure if it's a sigh of relief that he's happy we are going or he's happy that all ended well with us. But sure enough after writing this blog about a week after it happened, we remained aware and understanding of what transpired that night.

the water horse

Last night, my wife and I together with Ayi went to visit Jay Tan's funeral. Jay is teacher Evelyn's eldest son who got a kidney transplant last December. He got an infection and so his body was not able to cope with it. He is known as the Round Mound of Sound or DJ Bounce to Magic 89.9 listeners. But to his friends and love ones, he is also known as Budoy.
Jay would sometimes be a host or a teacher to TCW's school activities that is why he is also well known among the active parents of the school.

Along the way, Suzette tells me about the blogs that Jay made which were compiled by his friends. She was there early that morning accompanying the preschool kids of TCW and told me how she was also crying at the chapel.

Funny but some few days ago I was thinking what to blog about next. For a while I thought I don't have anything meaningful to write about. Then I read Jay's blogs. He really has a talent for writing and I admire its contents. I get to know more about him while reading it and perhaps that's one reason why I'm here blogging again.

I enjoyed the mass service that evening, with the Vietnamese priest friend of the family from Sto Domingo church and a commentator/singer whom I believe is a professional who does this for a living. He has his own PA system with a pull trolley and an ipod nano attached to it that plays his mass service songs. He sings the responsorial psalm by memory and is very good and instrumental in setting the mood of the service. I can't help but notice the way he handled his part as it was very professional indeed. It's different from my first impression when at first I thought that he was just one of those usual party hosts. My wife even asked me to look for this person should she go away before me.

After the service, we left for SM Centerpoint. Ayi is excited that we will be able to finally have that movie date with her. We have our annual Kris Kringle game that our family play and the kids get to win prizes such as coffee date, movie date, etc. Ayi won that movie date but after the service, we were conditioning Ayi that we might have to postpone it because there is maybe no GP movie available and that it was also kind of getting late. I, too was sleepy from coming home late since Tuesday from many activities in our CFC community.
You can almost see the disappointment in her face.

At first, we saw some local films and action film posters and so we told her that they are not suitable for young kids. But at the end of the movie hallway, cinema 9 was showing the Water Horse. The poster looks cute enough for children so we convinced her to try this one. The last full show was set to start also at 9:30pm and my watch indicates that is is already 20 minutes past 9.

And so we entered the movie house just in time and noticed how only a handful was there to watch it. Our daughter seems very excited now from her previous noticeably more quiet stance. The film is about the legendary lochness monster and a boy who became friends with it. Ayi was kind of scared at the start but later becomes more comfortable as the story progresses. We saw the transformation of the 'creature' from an egg, to a baby to a full grown giant.

Somehow the film reminded me of the blogs that I read from Jay. Even though we see him in many of our kids activities, I don't really know him except from some impression that I have of him perhaps. Reading his writings allow me to know some dear part of him, his likes, his wishes and his aspirations. Much like the mysterious water horse creature whom the characters in the movie learned to understand and admire.

Oh, I would like to mention as an ender that we all enjoyed the movie, most especially Ayi who bragged about it for days to her siblings.

I was crying with Mr. Probinsiyanong Intsik

During my lunch break today, I get to watch the senate hearing regarding the ZTE anomaly. Mr. Rodolfo Lozada Jr. was there to answer the questions that the senators were giving him. I am deeply moved by this man's sincerity that you can feel in the way he talks and the emotions emanating with it. I'm happy that the senators were kind and respectful with the man who is being tested to the very core of his moral fiber.

What struck me was his narration of his trip to the countryside where he get to talk with the natives. Upon seeing the plentiful guava fruit bearing trees, he suggested that they can sell these fruits to the market so that they can earn money. The man, whom Mr. Lozada characterized as a poor nobody, said that they should just leave it for the birds. He was struck by this words and with this he is struggling with himself as to why there are some people who can bear to make kickbacks greedily. Of course I'm referring to the alleged US$329 Million overpricing of the Philippine broadband deal with China.

The hearing was moving enough to make one shed tears as I did while watching it. I have to send a text message to my wife, my mother-in-law and some friends regarding this sad event in our history. I am sad that we are helpless against the people whom we have elected to help build our nation. I am sad that there are people who really abuse their power and position to get even more powerful. I am sad that there are people who don't give a damn about our country.

But I was shedding tears because of the heroism of this man. I cried because I realize that there is hope despite all the goons in our government. I know this because there is still some people who try to give meaning in their lives. God help the Filipinos. God help the Philippines.

potty training moments

I cannot remember how successful we were in potty training our kids. Ayi being seven years old now has a long gap with Pio our youngest, who is now two years old. Sometimes when I take a bath, I bring Pio along and I would show him how daddy pee. But when I would ask him to try to imitate me, he would just shake his head and say 'wala', or that he does not feel it's time yet. Other times, he would try it and then I would hear pffffft followed by that foul smell, 'Ay utot lang' he would say with a sinister grin. Yes, we have funny moments inside the bathroom. He learned to poop first before peeing because it was easier to teach him. Whenever we see him groaning or moving his stomach we would run to sit him in the toilet seat. But to catch him before peeing is entirely different.

There is one particular day when we decided to take off his diapers and I told Pio face to face that if he feels he wants to pee, he should ask me or mommy to go to the toilet. Of course, he does not remember and we would only hear him say 'weewee' after he had just wet the floor. One day, I caught him holding onto his crouch that's when I realized he would pee. I brought him to our bathroom but just before I got his shorts off, he let go of his warm urine. I went down to his level and talked to him again face to face explaining that he should wait to take off his shorts before or else he would wet them. From that moment, he seems to understood it and the next one was a succesful pee to the bowl! My wife and I were clapping for him and he seems to enjoy our congratulations. The next day, Suzette called me over the phone to tell me the news that Pio went to pee four times without fail to the bathroom. One thing that helped her that day was scheduling Pio's trip to the bathroom.

The next day, Pio gets to go on a vacation to his lolo and lola in Paranaque. Suzette told them how the little boy is now doing it in the bathroom and so she suggested that the routine be duplicated there also as Pio will be there for a few days. Probably familiarity also is a factor in this that is why Pio would be uncooperative or would just say 'wala' to them. Lolo Tony however was clever to encourage our son to show off how he pees to Maui! And so, every now and then, Pio would pee in their grassy lawn in front of Maui, the dog in Paranaque.

Feast of the Black Nazarene

After bringing my children to school, I went directly to the office to park my car. I then proceeded to walk towards minor basilica of St. John the baptist also known as Quiapo church where I annually attend mass this time of the year. Incidentally, it is also the birthday of St. Josemaria Escriva, founded of the Opus Dei whom I also pray novena to.
I arrived near the vicinity of the church at Ronquillo and Carriedo streets before 7 am. It is usually orderly during this hours but the crowd is already building up. I had a hard time getting through the crowd because the I ended up moving with the wave that is also head on with a crowd going out of the church. I have to backtrack and turn to an alley that puts me on another mob trail that wants to get inside the church. After about twenty minutes, I am in the middle of Plaza Miranda and can hear the mass from there. A giant monitor was also setup so that others can see the celebration inside. Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales was officiating the mass.

Little by little I'm inching closer to the entrance doors amidst the sea of people that have some groups going in and some going out of the church. A lady and her companions were complaining that they are heading towards the church again instead of their intentions of going at the back of the church altar to touch the Nazarene. This is one of the problems here. Because of the crowd, you cannot see the steel railings that has been placed to control the traffic of people to the church. Even the signs "Pasukan" at "Labasan" on the rails is hardly noticeable until you are about three to five meters away. It's too late to move to the other side if you fail to notice them.

I found the chance to enter the church during communion when some people have also started to come out while many also seized the opportunity to create another wave towards the entrance. By the end of the final blessing, I was already inside right beside a mom who took her five or six month old daughter. "Sayang" or so I thought, the cardinal started his mass early this year. Although the new priest coming out to celebrate the next mass is quite familiar. And at about 7:30, Bishop Teodoro Bacani started celebrating the mass. Wow, all archbishops and bishops are here to celebrate with the mass and fiesta. I was quite comfortable in the duration of the mass as I was lucky that I am able to place myself in front of one of the wall fans working overtime today.

During communion, I have some hesitation to take it on the left side of the church on where I was because the aides where asking to people to leave the church right after receiving the host. This is because I want to receive the final blessings also inside the church. I scan around and can see that it's almost the same everywhere but I decided to cross to the middle where at least the exit path will be longer and thus have a better chance of hearing the final blessings inside.

I excused myself from the people sitting and kneeling at the pews where I passed with no effort. And as expected, I was led to exit at the middle aisle after communion and was slowly walking toward the back exit with the others. Just before hitting the turn towards the door, the bishop gave his final blessing and I paused to say my final prayers. And after the mass was finished, I cannot move an inch as people started to dart toward the middle aisle. Lay ministers were sprinkling holy water to the people who have raised their hands with their rosaries, novena booklets, images of the Sto. Nino and the Black Nazarene and even handkerchiefs. I too, picked my rosary from my pocket and joined with the crowd.

Going out takes a shorter time than going in but the effort is double. I am caught in the lane of two opposing groups with one moving in while I'm at the edge of another crowd going out. My shirt is being snagged from other people's bags or fans while trying to control my balance from the pushing and the shoving of other people. I can feel the cool winds of January is still here when I look up and grasp for air but my head and body is already hot and sweating from the effort of moving towards the welcome sight of Carriedo streets.

By 8:45 I'm already at Avenida. I feel very hungry so I decided to have a quick meal. All three Jollibee stores that I passed by are full when then I noticed a new Tropical Hut in the area. I proceeded inside and placed my order. It isn't until the food was served that I noticed the claim number that the cashier has given me that I request the server to hold on while I take a picture before they take the number tag. Why, it's the number 9! Cool isn't it? Call me corny but hey I like corny. Sometimes I take them as signs or assurance that things will be better. I take this time of the year to thank God for all the blessings my family received and as well as for giving me another year here on earth. So, yes I take that as a sign from God that He was listening to my prayers. At lunch time my wife called me that she noticed the crawling vines that we planted about five months ago has started to bloom. Now, that's another sign and He's telling me I am not corny. Believe!

Jing 4.0

"'Tol kwarenta ka na bukas ah, parang Dota games natin -- Jing 4.0". this is how my youngest brother, Denny greeted me today upon entering our office. Wow oo nga. Everybody close to me seem to be very excited. My brother, sister and in-laws in the US too have greeted me in advance during our YM session. Kiko my bro-in-law also sent a chat message greeting me in advance.

My tita Josie today just whispered in my ear "happy birthday" while I'm blogging in my desk and added that she would be absent tomorrow that's why she is greeting me in advance. While my mom and tita has been busy also buying ingredients for some dishes I requested.

My loving wife is so hyper preparing some dishes and dessert for tomorrow's small gathering. "Excited ka na ba?", Suzette would ask me. I can feel she is. I cannot say that I don't feel excited but I am not in a festive mood either. My wife reminded me I really should celebrate even with a small party as a thanksgiving because we are so blessed this year that just passed in all spiritual, emotional and material things. Hands down I agree and couldn't ask for more. I know God is so good to us and all and now I realize why am feeling like this -- I can feel the love of so many people that it eclipse my want of celebrating my birthday. Thank you all. Family, relatives and friends. Thank you for being a part of my life. Thank you for being there always. God bless!

Do we wii?

Do you play computer games at home? Ever since we got married, we have not installed a computer game system at home. We believe that it lessen the social interaction skills of a child and that it also promotes violence.

Anyway, last December 2006 we decided to give our son Jiego his well deserved DS since he is doing exceptionally well in school. There are rules imposed like: one hour gaming tops in a day (weekends only) and none especially when there is an exam the following week. He should also share it with his sisters and the same rule also applies to them.

Last Christmas (2007), nanay Nini, their grandma gave them a wii for a present. Compared to other gaming platform, we can accept to install this during vacation and free weekends for our children. The sensors in this system allow the player/s to be virtually in the game by 'acting' the required action unlike the usual paddle and buttons consoles in the market that may cause you carpal tunnel syndrome. Included in the package is Wii Sports which includes tennis, baseball, bowling, golf and boxing. Everyone in our family sweat it out playing these sports and also helped improve our reflexes and sort of work out everybody. If other consoles suggest self-centeredness in their games, this gadget can promote group games and even family bonding time.

Hollywood trivia

Sometimes when I am staring blank at my computer thinking of what to do next, I would log on to http://www.flixster.com/never-ending-quiz and try to improve my score. You can check it out and see if you are up-to-date with today's (and yesterday's) Hollywood films.