Historical

"Mama, makasaysayan na pala ako, kasi sumama ako sa burol ni President Cory."

(Si Rio, habang pinapanuod na sa TV ang mga huling kaganapan sa Manila Memorial.)

Tama naman, dahil tayo din ang gumagawa ng kasaysayan. Sana makabuluhan ang ating iwan gaya ni Tita Cory.

Rio (Portrait)

The last sketch I did of her was as a sleeping one-month-old baby. Now she's almost nine!

Here I had trouble doing the lips, as she would always end up looking like her best friend Icah. They do have the same smile sometimes.

Bacon-Mushroom Pasta

My attempt at the pasta dish which Rommel immediately loved (thanks, Ate Frances for the recipe!)



Cook bacon, set aside.
Saute finely chopped onions, garlic, and sliced button mushrooms in bacon oil. Add cream and evaporated milk, low fire. Mix with cooked pasta, crushed bacon, cheese, salt and pepper. Top with remaining bacon & cheese.
Serve with garlic bread.

We have moved!

From the former Student Center of the Diliman Campus Bible Church (where we served as houseparents for almost 4 years) in Project 6, we now rent a small apartment at San Francisco, Del Monte, in Quezon City.

Bagong bahay ... bagong parol!











... bagong tambayan!











... at bagong friends!











...welcome to our new neighborhood!:)

celebrating a beautiful disaster

Yesterday Rommel and I turned 9. What started as a beautiful disaster (read: hilarious wedding, which I plan to write about after MRR defense week!) is still going strong. Still disastrous, still beautiful, marriage.

We celebrated by dining out (courtesy of a friend's gift) at Kamay Kainan in Trinoma (QC), an eat-all-you can chain featuring all Pinoy food. We were planning on Banana Leaf, but found they had no branch here, and we didn't feel like walking to the other mall. Rio was happy with the news, because KK is her favoritEST place.

As we were savoring our third trip to the buffet table (by this time we were onto the seafoods: Guinataang Kuhol, Tahong Soup, Inihaw na Tilapia, Mangga't Bagoong, Tempura, Sinigang na Hipon, Pritong Alimasag) we played a game of You-can-ask-what-you-want-from-mama-&-papa, obviously with a single player. Rio's queries revolved mostly on dating stuff. This one was a winner: Since you are now married 9 years, what are 9 things you love about each other?

Knowing Rio, each one of course had to be backed up by example, but am not writing that here for fear of turning the place mushy. With burps and chews in between:

Mama'a answer
Papa is...
1. Guwapo
2. Thoughtful
3. Funny
4. Hardworking
5. Matulungin sa kapwa
6. Masarap magluto
7. Willing to sacrifice
8. Wise decision-maker
9. Loving

Papa's answer:
Mama is...
1. Maganda [Cheh! gaya-gaya hehe ...]
2. Matapang
3. Thoughtful
4. Patient
5. Smart
6. Malambing
7. Understanding
8. Hindi madamot sa kapwa
9. Loving

We are too caught up with the routines in life, it takes a little child to help us remember these things sometimes.

Thank you, Rio. You gave us the best Anniversary reflection, in addition to the awesome hand-made album you made especially for this day. We love you, baby.

Rice Crisis

"Batang Pinoy: Tumutulong sa Pagsulong"

What can a seven-year-old possibly do?

Finish her plate -- in light of the rice crisis!


http://www.panibagongparaan.com/content.asp?ID=22

Takin' a break :D

Havana Family KTV here we come! Err..came, and went. We did visit a couple of days back, and found out that the hourly rate is non-consumable -- which is very reasonable, actually. But I was out for a good bargain, so no thanks this time :(

Driving off, moving on...Try Encore! Encore? Sure! Off to SM North ... huwaaat? No more Encore! The space was being re-constructed for a fastfood chain. Tongkantangtong para Chowking. Ok :(





But wait! There's more! How bout the KTV at the foodcourt? Aha! The video-game-arcade has come up with a fantabulous idea --- videoke rooms! Except it's limited to 10 songs at a time :) Good enough! Plus, you are right smack where the food is, baby.




Cheap thrill? Priceless fun! And oh, Rio had a blast 'coz she's literally a step away from the arcade games. (won some, too!)


Now that's a real good time!!! That's all folks :)

the devil wears prada

Lately, Rio's bedtime reading has been "Mangga Messiah", a gift she received from Tito Ram last year. It is the New Testament in amazingly cool Japanese anime.

On Tuesday she got to the story of the healing of the demon-possessed man from Gadarene and saw something that really upset her.

"Eeeee! Mama! Bakit lalaki si Satanas dito sa drowing?!?! Mali ito!"

[What do you mean, anak...]

Lalaki kasi siya dito, e di ba babae si Satanas?

[Anudaw? Aaaa...bat mo naman nasabing babae siya?]

E di ba nga siya ang PINAKAMAGANDA sa lahat ng angels? E di babae siya!

[May powent ka, anak. Hmmm...e ganyan talaga madalas idrowing ng mga tao ang devil, palaging lalaki...Pero sa pagkakaalam ko hindi siya babae o lalaki kasi hindi naman siya tao...]

Ah...e kung nagkatawang tao Siya? Lalake ba siya o babae?

[Hindi ko din po alam e, kasi wala pa akong nabalitaang nagkatawang tao siya.]

Aha! Siguro nga lalaki siya kung sakali, kasi si Jesus lalaki nung nagkatawang tao.

[pwede ba mag call-a-friend?]

Transitions

R: Mama, pag nag-resign ka ba ay hindi na tayo puwedeng pumasok sa office nyo?
J: Puwede pa naman, pero sa 2nd floor na kasi yun ang common area.
R: Ganun po ba? (Long Pause)
Palagay ko mama, ikaw lang ang bawal sa 3rd floor.
J: Ha? Bakit?
R: Kasi, hindi naman ako nag-resign e.
(Ayos.)