Busy Week Concluded

What a busy week that was...

We had activities going on simultaneously: press briefing, testing/interviewing of and job offer to software engineers, screening for the new batch of code camp participants, participation in the Information & Communication Technology Conference (ICT), graduation and awarding of ECC winning code campers, etc... There were about 5 counterparts from Manila who flew in to assist in all these.

Here are pictures as proof:


(Left: Abuhan lunch; Right: Guiseppe dinner)


Big Mao dinner


Hehehe.... Okay... The pictures didn't show the actual activities I was talking about. But that is not to say I was bluffing about being busy...

In fact, I so look forward to the weekend... I need to unwind, slow down a bit and enjoy some quality time with my boys.

When I wake up tomorrow, I will be seeing this:


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Or this:




Hmmm.... Just the thought of it does wonders now to my frazzled brain cells... Hope you all have a relaxing weekend!

More Free Days Up Ahead

used fd's flickr toys for this captioner...

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Setting: In one pre-school, for 3yo Jake's interview (Nursery1 class)
Cast of Characters: Jake, the Guidance Counselor, Jerry & me

GC: Hi Jacob! (She proceeds to engage Jake in a conversation.)
Jake: Ma look! (He points to a calendar with a colorful drawing.)
GC: Oh this one... (holding the calendar). Could you identify what you see in the picture?

(Jake successfully identifies the ff: rainbow, elephant, house, etc.)

GC: (Gets her box of crayons and turns to me.) Is Jake familiar with colors?
Me: No, he only knows black.

(GC proceeds to take out some colors anyway...)

GC: Jacob, could you show me the color red?

(Jake obviously makes a guess and points to the wrong color. GC insists on asking Jake some more about colors to which Jake miserably commits mistakes. Didn't I just tell her that he only knows black??? Grrr...)

GC: Oh Jake is really poor with colors...

("Poor with colors"...My smile suddenly feels like a grimace upon hearing this comment. Since when did we measure a tot's IQ with just the colors? Anyway, just to show the guidance counselor that Jake's intelligence is not limited to the concept of color....)

Me: Come on Jake, you tell the teacher the different parts of your body.

(Jake identifies his eyes, ears, nose etc correctly. I am now on a roll...)

Me: Very good. Show the teacher how you sing the alphabet.

(Jake sings proudly the alphabet song...and even sings Twinkle Twinkle as a bonus.)

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If not for lack of time, I would even have drawn the logos of the different car brands and Jake would have been able to differentiate a BMW from a Toyota or a Mitsubishi. This is not unusual as kids are really more visual at a very young age.

Ask them to draw a square and they might not be able to. But give them a shape sorter and they will successfully match the shape with the correct hole. Haay.... It doesn't take a genius to know these things... Then again...

I bet Jake is more adept in using the laptop and mouse than the Guidance Counselor...

After hearing my account, one friend hastily scratched the school from her choice of schools for her son. Tsk-tsk...

One of these days, the Directress of the school will know about the "very good" Guidance Counselor.

Sing With Me

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I first saw this online karaoke on Chase' site. After checking it out, I got hooked! Click play below and listen to Jake sing impromptu the kiddie Alphabet Song. While you're at it, try hopping on to the site, choose your favorite song from their extensive list, then hit record. That's all there is to it. Ayt?

Oh, and it's all for free!

Foodies & WIFI

Though we'd love to, we rarely spend time with friends mainly because of schedules. So when friends are in town for a short visit, we all free up one night for a mini get-together.

Last night, dinner was spent at Manny & Monica's. Gret & her kids were in town for some visa requirements and the last time we saw them was about last year just before Christmas. So imagine my surprise seeing all the kids all grown in such a short time.

Food was yummy as usual and I had to stop myself form gorging the fried lumpia lest I run out of "gastric" space for dessert. Hehehe...

Since Gret's hubs, Marcel, was in the US, we tried calling him via Skype. It was a funny sight seeing our group whipping out the Macs (we had 3 on the table), chatting, Skype-ing and checking out some blogs (!) and Google to search answers for Gabrielle's assignment on God's qualities.

We couldn't be any more high-tech! I even heard Monica's youngest daughter, Sofia, say, "This table now looks like a study group!". Or something like that... Hahaha!

Anyway...

It was the first time we combined good food with good WIFI surfing. It definitely gave a new dimension to our party...

Have a safe trip back to the US, Gret and kids! *Waves*
Thanks for dinner and wifi Mons! *Waves again*
Good to see you Estee, Ingrid and everyone else!
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Have you done dinner and WIFI together with your friends? :)







a (kinda) blurry pic




this one is a little clearer

Papa's Nice

There was one time the boys overheard Jerry and me discussing about some mix-up in schedules while we were all inside the car. Our voices were somewhat a few decibels higher. I knew the elder ones were aware of what was going on and probably thought this was just one of those days... Nothing much to it.

They were mostly right. Though sometimes Jerry and I are quite excitable (ok, ok, just me...) when in a discussion, we simmer down after a while.

The following day, while Jerry and I were in the room preparing for work, 3yo Jake was lying down on our bed.

JAKE: Ma...
ME: Yes?
JAKE: No "away" Papa, ok?
(Jerry and I looked at each other. Was this about last night? I thought. Did Jerry prompt Jake to say that? Not likely...)
ME: (smiling at Jake) Of course I won't "away" Papa. (Jerry and I looked at each other again, my eyebrow now headed north.)
JAKE: No "away" Papa, Ma ok? Papa is nice...

(We both smiled and I think Jerry gave me that "I told you so" expression. Hehehe.)

I know I shouldn't underestimate the mind of a 3yo. Sometimes there's wisdom to what he says. BUT...

I will have to disagree with you Jake. No, Papa is NOT nice. No, no, no, no. He's not!

Let me re-phrase that. He is NOT JUST NICE! He is actually more than nice. He is the best Papa one could ever hope for. You guys are lucky to have such a doting and funny Pa. I couldn't imagine raising you all by myself and doing a good job. You are what you are because of him. And I'll bet you, he won't disagree with me on this. :D

Happy Fathers' Day Jerry!

(Happy Fathers' day Paparazzi! And happy fathers' day to all the wonderful, caring dads in the whole wide universe!)



Friday - Keeping busy while waiting for Pa to arrive from Manila
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Saturday (AM) - badminton session from 10-12
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Saturday (PM) - choco fondue dessert at Tinderbox
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Fathers' day portrait :)
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AND FOR MY VERY OWN PAPArazzi....

Here's my reply to SunStar's questionnaire on "Why do you consider your father as your personal hero" that got featured last June 15, 2007...



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Original text: No other Papa would put up with all our impossible requests (well almost). He may be way over the hill at 65, but he feels he's never too old to see the world with loved ones, to learn new things like surfing the internet and peeping into our blogs to see what his kids and grandkids are up to and to give precious bits of advice.

Having a bad day? Count on Papa who's always ready to cheer us all up with his weird sense of humor. He is our Prozac personified.

Careful What You Say! :)

My friends and cuzns, pic was taken last March during Jake's birthday
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Here's a short one that I couldn't resist not posting...

LOCATION: In my room at work
CHARACTERS: Dahlia (friend), Mimi (cousin)

MIMI: I stopped breastfeeding. Im a bad mom.
LINNOR: Oh? But why?
MIMI: (Proceeds to explain how she breastfed for a while and why she stopped...) Yaddi yaddi yadda...
DAHLIA: As long as the baby was able to get the first production of milk... He'll be fine...
LINNOR: Yes, that's the important thing.
DAHLIA: What do you call that first milk? (Pauses, thinks, and then mumbles something). Isn't that the scr*t*m?
LINNOR: What the heck? Colostrum you mean!

Bwahahaha!


I forewarned my good friend D about the blogworthiness of that slip-up...:D She was game to be blogged. Hence this. That's the best part about friends like her, she revels in the humor of it all. Love you Dahls! You made my day!


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Was there ever a time you got your words mixed-up? Tell us about it! :D

Papa Said

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It seems that 3yo Jake has discovered the art of having a "padrino" whenever he is trying to convince anyone and everyone into letting him get his way or wiggle himself out of a situation.

Sometimes I would overhear him reasoning out or "arguing" with the elder brothers about something and would punctuate his halting English with "Papa said (insert applicable phrase here)..." as if his elder brothers would be reduced to submission. Hehehe... Well, Jake does succeed sometimes but mostly because they found him cute.

As for me, I've also been exposed to Jake's verbal antics many times, most especially when I'm telling him not to do something. He shoots back as if I would feel subjugated by the mere mention of "Papa said"... Asuuus! Hehehe...

On different occasions he told me...

"Papa said, I sleep later"
"Papa said, I play Gameboy"
"Papa said, I eat sapsap (his term for chips/junk food)"

You get the drift? I don't know how and when he learned this... Maybe the elder brothers would tell him off by prefixing each sentence with "Papa said". Now he's saying the same thing to counter them, and me.

Yesterday after lunch, right before Jerry & I drove back to work, this was how the conversation went...

JERRY: Jake... Sleep na. I'll go with you upstairs...
JAKE: (Looks at his Pa) Papa said I stay here... (Begins a litany of kiddie gibberish)

Toinks!



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Independence Day Holiday

It was declared earlier on that June 11 instead of June 12 would be a non-working holiday. Thus, Independence Day is 1 day earlier this year. It means we have a 3-day break. So here on my 3rd day, I found an extra time to blog.

I wrote about the boys' 1st time to try badminton last time over here. I mentioned about 3yo Jake not being able to get to try. However, last Monday, Jake finally got his chance. He was able to play. I was amused at how untiring this boy was at 9pm... See for yourself...

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Tonight is badminton night. We reserved 2 courts for 3 hours each. There are 10 of us from work who are going. I'm thinking whether to bring the boys again or not. Hmm...

Perhaps I would...

The Big Reveal

Late last year, while skimming the classifieds, I came across an ad about a townhouse in Lahug that was for sale. It was a few minutes from work, near Matt & Kyle's new campus, near Jake's nursery school and near my MIL's.

It was timely that our Tuscania condo (in Guadalupe) had a serious buyer. It was actually because we were able to sell it for a good price that Jerry & I decided to put an offer for the Lahug property.

To make the story short, we sealed the deals for both the sale and the purchase of the 2 properties. After a few months of renovation and finishing and putting together the designs I've chosen from numerous magazines, we finally decided to invite my MIL for the "big reveal". Think ETC channel's Merge or Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's kind of house make-over. :D

Mommy would usually just stay home to relax. She's not one who will be easily invited to eat out or to go places. However, when Jerry called in the morning to invite MIL for some PM snacks, Nurse Cathy (Jake's former nanny) said MIL accepted the invitation.

We didn't actually tell MIL that we were showing her our humble place. So when she arrived, she was visibly impressed. MIL came on her wheelchair. But she was too determined to see the upstairs rooms that she asked Nurse Cathy to assist her as she walked on the way up. It was unbelievable that she did that. I was touched.

All I could hear were positive comments down to the smallest detail. We were excited to tell her how we managed to put everything together no matter how limited our resources were and even if Jerry spent half of his time at work shuttling between Manila and Cebu. I guess she must have been really happy to see her son, Jerry, doing good after all.

The big reveal wasn't just about the new house. It is not an imposing piece of structure with luxurious interiors. In fact it is just modest-sized and cozy, nothing extraordinary about it. The big reveal was more of an inside look at how we have been all this time and thus putting to rest whatever worries MIL might have about his son and his family.

Here's a short slide of MIL's first visit to my casita...

Fender-Bender (Well Almost)

See the blue paint on the right part of the bumper?
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I was bringing my boys to school a few weeks back, Kyle for his theatre practice and Matt for his basketball. We were running a bit late. And the traffic light on that intersection along Gen. Maxilom Avenue and D. Jakosalem Streets has just turned red. We were the second car on our lane.

I had my foot on the brake as I talked animatedly with my boys. I didn't shift to "neutral" nor to "park" as I knew this stop wasn't going to take long. Then I felt the car inching forward. That's the trouble with automatic, The split second it took me to realize what was happening seemed forever. And before I could do something, I instinctively stepped harder on the brake.

"SH*T!!!* was the only word I managed to blurt out when after I stepped on the brake, our vehicle lunged forward to "kiss" the small blue pick-up in front of us. Matt & Kyle sat stunned and couldn't believe what just happened.

We just hit a car! *Groan*

Major Accomplishment

taken at the i2 roofdeck after a successful event
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Because of collective efforts from the Cebu, Manila and US teams, this is probably our biggest accomplishment for the first half of 2007 - the expansion of the IT office we all work in. And May 24th was a red-letter day when we had our office blessed, conducted press briefings, and introduced our new IT visions and programs to the academe.

Though the real hard work brought on by expansion is looming right in front of us, thank God we're finally over this one. The preparations leading to this day were just daunting but we happily culminated the event by spending time with counterparts for a night cap.

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For the first half of 2007, is there something you have done (in school, at work or at home) that your are extremely proud of? I bet you have. ;)

Last Day of Vacation?

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Tinkering with the lego is one of the things they do on their free time.
(Photo taken using a Sony T100 on soft-focus feature)
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Classes started for most schools today. Not for my boys... Their school will open on June 27, so that's more than 3 weeks of free days up ahead.

I look forward to June 27 when my boys start being active again academically. I look forward to July when Jake starts his nursery school. On the other hand, I dread the traffic that goes along with the season.

For this new school year, what do you look forward to? What do you dread, if there's any?

Cebu Auto Craze

Among all the cars on display, Jake liked to pose with this one!
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Last May 30, Jerry and I knocked off at 1130 am to bring the boys to the Cebu Auto Craze auto show during our lunch break. That's the nice thing about being in Cebu, not much lunch traffic and you get to spend time with your kids in the middle of a work day.

So anyway, there were not much flashy cars on display. However, Jake found a good one for photo op. At his age (3yo), he could already tell a good car brand apart from the rest. He took after his Papa and elder brothers obviously as I'm just clueless with cars...











Auto-crazy boys
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If you're not as clueless as me, here are some car questions for you:
1. Do you drive?
2. Which do you prefer, manual or automatic transmission?
3. What's your dream car?

Seeing Myself After 20 Years...

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One busy day in May, about last week, my parents and relatives paid me a visit. It was a pleasant mini reunion of sorts as I don't get to see the Espiritus that often, them being in Manila and myself being based in Cebu.

We spent lunch together at Abuhan where Pa wanted to treat us all to pochero. I was the only one in the group who wasn't actually watching my diet. Oops. Though the choice of food wasn't really on the healthy side, all of them were consciously picking very small portions for consumption.

Pa and Tito Roby were talking about their quadruple or triple bypasses like they would talk about car models. "Payabangan" sila. Hahaha! And Ma & Tita Celia would compare how many medicines or how often they took a certain prescription like they would talk about shoes, bags and shopping! I was amused listening to all of them.

Then when we were all done with the dessert, Pa called on the waiter to ask for the bill. When it came, everyone was fumbling for his/her wallet. I thought they were racing against each other as to who would be the fastest to whip out the credit card.

But no...

I was utterly amused when all of them handed their Senior Citizen's ID! Hihihi!

That same night, Aunt Didi joined the group and treated us all to dinner at Laguna Garden Cafe. And the whole experience would be repeated....

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I am grateful that I am still surrounded by loved ones who are in their prime years. I could only pray that they stay as lively and as healthy as they are for as long as possible. To achieve even half of what they have is already a great blessing.

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On another note, I hope nobody gets offended (about age), but when you get together what topics do you usually talk about with your peers?