Curbside Stories

The view of Mactan Island from our boat. I can't believe I forgot to post my first ever Cebu trip with my sisters! We went there last October 2013. It almost didn't happen because Cebu and Bohol were rocked by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake. We were so scared because of the reports of aftershocks but we can no longer move the date because my younger sister will be back in the US the following week. So we went, with all courage and prayers for guidance and safety.  We stayed in a cheap but decent hotel in Mandaue, it is about 30 to 40 minute taxi drive from Mactan Cebu International Airport. Although there were many public transportations, we opted to ride a taxi for convenience. If I remember it correctly, we paid a little over 6 thousand pesos for two family rooms for three days. Not bad, eh? The Magellan's Cross. Day 1 of our stay started with a tour at the Magellan's Cross in the compound of Basilica del Sto. Nino in Cebu City. There were many tourists ...

My son ranked top 2 in class and I promised him that I will treat him out this weekend... which I did. And here he is, all smiles for the yummy dinner and fun rides at Mall of Asia Baywalk. TGIF! We did not ride the MOA Eye--the highest ferris wheel in the country--instead we indulged in bump cars... I was not able to take pictures because, well, I was so busy driving and bumping. A brief rest  to recharge energy... the crowd is watching mimes perform. My son's first attempt to ride a mini motorbike... FAIL! At least he got this cute photo as a souvenir. Better luck next time my little wormy worm. My little volleyball protege sweated it all out this morning. We played until we got hungry... so much for exercise. We went to a children's party this afternoon and he was game to have face paint. He said he wanted something Halloween. While other kids want anime and superheroes, he wanted to look eccentric... and this is what he got... a tiger face pa...

Sinigang na hipon (shrimp in tamarind broth). I just had a sumptuous dinner with my family for the advance birthday celebration of my niece who will turn 12 next week. We ate crispy lechon kare-kare, lechon kawali, sinigang na hipon and spicy sizzling squid. Yummy! It is true that food brings the family together.  Spicy sizzling squid. Crispy Pork Kare-Kare (crispy pork in peanut sauce). Lechon Kawali.

The world of boxing fanatics will come to a halt today as they witness one of the most anticipated fights of the year... Pacquiao vs. Bradley. But, it is not really  what I look forward to this day... it is our family get together that happens every time there is a Pacman fight. Who do you think will win? I do hope it will be Pacquiao. Although I am not a boxing fanatic, I am still a Filipino who takes pride in the success of a fellow countryman.

My son's dad is a good basketball player, although he did not go to basketball training school and do not play in pro tournaments, he joins inter-town games with his friends. He sees basketball more as a sport rather than a possible source of income. When our son was born, he always said that someday he will teach our son to play. The thought of father and son basketball bonding excites me so much... it is a sight that I commonly see on television shows or in movies. Anyway, our son is now three years old and instead of learning how to play basketball, he learned to play volleyball--my sport. His dad wasn't actually disappointed that he is more interested in my sport than his sport, but, I could sense that he is still wishing it is his sport rather than mine. So now, I am thinking of sending our son to basketball training school when he gets a little older.

"Thanks for the dinner last night. I am very happy for you, your being a responsible mom and career woman. I love you and Lance." That's a text message from my mom at the airport before her flight going back to the US. Dinner was on me last night. It was my means of thanking my mom for every thing that she did for us and to celebrate my niece's 9th birthday. We had a feast. After the sumptuous dinner of Chinese cuisine, my mom said she's proud of me. I think it was the first time I heard her say those words to me. I did not even hear it when I graduated from college. Although those words put a huge smile on my face, it was her text message that really made my day and gave more meaning to my life.

That's me and my son. =) This photo was taken by his Dad at Sta. Ana Race Track in Saddle and Clubs Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite. We went there because we wanted Lance to see horses racing. Of course we didn't tell him people go there to bet for a race. I bet he had a really great time because he's still talking about horses even if we're already home.

Hi! How's your Saturday?  Nothing too magnificent or odd happened today... I just cooked my son's favorite tinola (Chicken ginger stew) for lunch only to find out that we will go to my cousin's 18th birthday party at noon. We ended up not eating the tinola like what we had planned. On the brighter side, we had a feast. When I say feast, I really meant feast. My cousin served grilled chicken, pork barbecue, kare-kare and lumpia as the main entree and slices of sweet seedless watermelon for dessert. Yummy! Oh, I almost forgot, grandma cooked again her famous yellow rice which made us full big time. The tinola ... we had it for supper. If you want to try it, here are the ingredients: 1 whole chicken cut into small parts 1 small papaya or vegetable pear (sayote) cut into small pieces 1/2 cup chili leaves 1 chicken cube (optional) 1 onion, sliced 3 cloves garlic 1 small ginger cut into strips 2 tablespoons cooking oil 3 tablespoons fish sauce or patis 1.5 liters of wa...

Photo form here . My son and I, together with some relatives, made the most out the vacation.  Yesterday, we went to SMX at SM Mall of Asia to watch the Great American Circus.  It was our first time to watch a real live circus.  It's different from the one we see in peryas during fiestas. There were no live chicken eating, no disabled people featured as half mermaid-half human, no oddities at all--just amazing feats regular people can't do. We arrived at SMX an hour before the show, we waited in line for about thirty minutes before they opened the gates. The show features acrobats, daredevils--including the Guinness Book of World Records holder for crossbow, jugglers, clowns and a Michael Jackson impersonator.  The highlight of the show was the "Wheel of Death" where two people ran inside two rings just like a ferris wheel.  I really enjoyed watching the aerial dancers. If you want to try something different and see death defying stunts, you may still c...

I don't know anyone who doesn't get emotional during Christmas season.  It is more emotional than Valentine's Day because Christmas is really a celebration of love... of Christ's unconditional love to mankind. I chose to include I'll Be Home for Christmas by Frank Sinatra video because we all want to be home for Christmas and we all want our loved ones to be with us on that day.  I get sad chills whenever I hear this song because I have lots of loved ones who couldn't be with us on Christmas. And I am missing my great grandpa and his son who is also my grandfather.  I miss them not because they are the most generous gift givers but because they always make Christmas special for their grandchildren.  They make children's Christmas wishes come true somehow.  I really miss them.  They died several years ago. Do you have someone you wish to be with this Christmas?

This has nothing to do with Christmas and the jitters because it's nearing.   I just got home from the office, tired as usual and begging to rest.  I cannot rest, not yet, because I still have tons of things to do.  I just want to cry.  I have never worked so hard in my entire life.   This morning, when my son woke up, he looked at me and asked, "Where's Mommy?"   Yes, he asked me on my face where am I.  I was teary eyed when I answered, "I am here.  I am your Mommy."  He turned his back on me afterwards.  I bet he was not satisfied with the answer.  I gave him a hug reassuring him that I am with him, that I will be there when he needs me, and that I am still his mom. I have a lot of catching up to do.  But for now, I will have to cry. I just have to let it out and forgive myself for being absent in my son's life for quite sometime now.

Photo from here . I am so close to the people I adore.  Literally close because they are my neighbors.  My son and I live in the compound of my grandparents.   My house used to be my grandparents' house, we built a duplex because the old house was destroyed by a typhoon.  The house was left in our care because grandma left for the US together with my aunts and uncles twenty years ago.  My sister and her two daughters live on the other door.   On the left and right side of the house are also my grandparents' (my grandfather's brother and his uncle).  Across the road is my great great grandparents' house, the house where I grew up.  I was like their adopted daughter when mom went to another country to work.  This is the main reason why I am so comfortable living in our town... I have my support system 360 degrees.  My closest friends also live 30 minutes away from our house.  I could not imagine growing up anywhere else t...