Day 253: My Little Boy Scout

Entering primary school has brought in many firsts for my little man: 

• spending whole day in school (when preschool used to be just half day)
• wearing long trousers instead of shorts
• fan-cooled room instead of an air-conditioned one
• having more than 2 teachers (in preschool there was only 1 for English subjects and 1 for Chinese)
• joining the out-of-town educational trip

and finally...

• participating in scouting activities as a cub scout

Scouting is an alien topic for me as I grew up not knowing what it was all about. You see, scouting was not a compulsory subject during my elementary and high school days. In those days, scouting was considered as a club, where participation was voluntary. Well, here in Butuan, scouting is part of the curriculum. It was a sight to see my little man all dressed up in his Kab Scout uniform. 

Day 252: Best Buddies

Francis Ryan and Jarred Andrei first met as Kinder 1 classmates back in 2008. Ever since sharing a ride on a "trisikad" during BFCS' 20th Foundation Anniversary Parade (dressed as superheroes) and spending free time playing and running around, they've become inseparable friends. This school year, they've been spending more time hanging out even during weekends. Ryan would usually call at home and ask permission for Jarred to come over to his house for a playdate. On those days, I'd usually drop off my son in the morning and pick him up late in the evening. Somehow, that day together would sometimes seem to be not enough for these two young men as they'd ask for extension minutes of playtime. They'd usually go bike riding, swimming, play computer games and matchbox cars. It was at Ryan's massive backyard that Jarred first learned to ride a bike without the training wheels anymore. Recently, I heard my son mention the term "BFF" and for someone who's having difficulty with Pinoy terms, I was taken aback when he mentioned it. He said that's what his best friend Ryan told him they were...BFF - best friends forever...

Day 251: World-Famous Sponge

This little guy was one of the first ever cartoon characters that my son fell in love with as a toddler (I think he's tied with Diego & Dora for first place).

Having spent mornings watching Mr. Squarepants, I would usually have LSS and catch myself singing the phrase, "Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?"...gosh, even Mom got hooked by this yellow creature.

Well, over the years, SpongeBob has become a regular "creature" around the house, with all three of my children now who can easily identify him and his signature theme song.

Day 250: Family Royalty

...meet the family's tag team of mischief and street smart antics - Cailie & CeeJae, the two princesses who can wrap everyone around their little fingers. These two can be loud, boisterous and certainly attract attention wherever they go but both are also gifted with so much wit and charm, they never cease to amaze us. These two little girls love music, they adore singing and dancing, in whatever form and style. In our family, these two own the throne to royalty. 

Day 249: Fancy Footwork

Perfect coordination...super abdominal strength...pristine timing...and a prayer to not get wet...

These are the factors essential to successfully lift this container half-filled with water with just the use of feet and leg power. To sustain it in mid-air for a few seconds will really stretch your abdominal might to its limit. 

Well, the SUN Team did exactly that...and won this game.

Day 248: Sour Face!

Caitlin...still lovely and adorable even with such a sour face.

Remember the late comedians, Pugo and Tagak? Well, aside from being such great comic artists, they were both well-known for their award-winning "mukhasim" expressions for a popular vinegar commercial decades ago...

Well, my big princess makes her own sour face and I think she could give both comedians a run for their money...

Day 247: Worship Night

Last night's experience during BCBP's Worship Night was something that truly renewed and strengthened my spiritual and prayer life. Understanding more about scripture and receiving God's word was an amazing experience.

Day 246: Pride and Joy

One of the gazillion things I love about being a mom is watching my children absorb the things they encounter everyday like sponges. Their learning potential is truly at its peak right now that they're in preschool and primary ages. 

Ever since starting formal school almost 3 years ago, Jarred Andrei, my firstborn, has developed in leaps and bounds from the very first time he held a pencil in his hand and attempted to write. Sure, he was an excellent verbal communicator but he was weak in reading and writing then. 

My little man has grown a lot since then and has achieved far greater than I have ever imagined he would. It was a mother's pride that nearly made me shed tears when I got up on stage to pin his ribbons during the 1st Quarter Recognition Day today. He was 2nd Honors in both the Chinese and English Departments. I was overwhelmed with joy as I saw that sparkle in his eye. It certainly made me think that all those hours labored over exam reviewers were well worth it.

Day 245: Boogie Night

Hubby and I are ballroom dancing freaks. Back in hubby's ex-company, we usually had our annual fix of dancing during the VisMin Christmas Party in Cebu. Oh my, we could go on dancing all night then. We didn't realize how much we missed dancing until the opportunity arose tonight during the 80th birthday celebration of our BCBP bro, Pediong Lumbres. 

Our three children were a sight to see - they were clapping and cheering us on. The eldest, Jarred, had that twinkle of pride in his eye as he watched Mom and Dad take the dance floor ("...Son, remind Dad and I to teach you the tricks of the trade when you get older, ok?).

Day 244: Lanzones Season

You will know once the "-ber" months have arrived when you suddenly see a proliferation of fruit vendors selling lanzones (lansium domesticum). These fruits are ovoid orbs covered in light yellow leathery skin and the sweet flesh are divided into 5-6 segments or wedges. 

I remember childhood days in San Jose, Batangas enjoying these fleshy goodies as Lola Rosing would usually harvest them from her own trees during season. 


It's funny that my own kids enjoy eating lanzones and would usually ask to stop by the sidewalk fruit vendor to buy some. Even the littlest one, CeeJae loves the succulent and sweet flesh of lanzones.