ROADTRIP

One of our stops during our roadtrip: lunch at Diplo, Kumalarang.

I'M BACK

We arrived safe and sound yesterday afternoon from our roadtrip and although we had a fun time touring the nearby cities, we were all glad to be home. I think no one was happier than my dad who drove the entire 3 days. As we were nearing home, he was saying things like his bed was calling him and such. He was so funny! Anyway, the boys had fun too. Nikki's instant lesson during the trip was road signs and traffic rules. It was nice to see him so interested in new things and in different situations. I lent him my point-and-shoot camera and he had a blast taking photos of everything. He was so interested that I started teaching him how to keep his arms and hands steady, to adjust his shots, to take sharper images and how to turn the flash on and off. Of course his dad was excited when I told him about Nikki's interest in photography. Hopefully, he will never tire of taking photos. The world is a beautiful place and all he has to do is look closely and capture it.

.....

Yesterday was my mom's birthday. We gave her a birthday cupcake (chocolate) with a single candle on it and Ethan helped her blow it out. Nikki took her photo and also gave her his present: a book we made about her. She loved it and we were glad. :D We did spend most of my mom's birthday on the road (going home to Zamboanga) but it was a fun trip and when we got home we had dinner together here at home and it was a nice ending to an eventful day. My mom is 58 years old now but still very active, very healthy and still as petite as before. I love you Mommy! Happy Birthday!

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We visited the cities/provinces of Ipil, Pagadian, Ozamis, Dapitan and Dipolog. We didn't tarry in some places too much because we only had 3 days. But the best place for me during the entire trip was the boulevard of Dipolog City. It was really clean, beautiful and the people are just so nice. And the sunset was lovely when we went for a stroll there. My mom, dad and I spent some minutes eating balut and chatted with the manang (old lady vendor) and Nikki had fun taking photos. I even chatted with a British tourist who declined the balut graciously. It was a nice experience. When I asked Nikki what his favorite thing was during the trip, he promptly replied, "swimming in the pool". Well no surprise there. When we were at Dipolog, the hotel we stayed at had a pool so the boys spent some time playing in the pool last Saturday afternoon. Anyway, it was wonderful getting to see other cities and places. It was a wonderful experience and hopefully we will be doing more travelling in the future. :)

FLOWERS

Pretty flowers...

ROAD TRIP

So, our road trip commences tomorrow! I am so psyched! Been packing our stuff last night and I had to write and rewrite the list of things to bring with us. Talk about over anxiety. Anyway, I showed Nikki the map this afternoon of the road and cities we'll be passing by in the next couple of days and he's pretty excited too. Well, I hope everything goes well and I hope we all have fun. :)

.....

My cold is gone, which is a HUGE relief. I am so glad I'm not sniffling any more. Not only is it so bothersome, it also made my nose sore from all the wiping I had to do every minute or so. Not to mention Nikki complaining that he couldn't kiss me on the lips because I wouldn't let him catch my germs. Haha! He is such a sweet boy. Anyway, I'm glad to be rid of that nasty cold. Good riddance. :)

.....

I had such a fun time with my friends last Tuesday evening. I met up with four of them (3 were my childhood friends and all of them were my HS classmates) and we just talked endlessly. We haven't seen each other for more than a year but when we started talking, it seemed like we were never apart at all! It's amazing how our friendship has stayed strong and true after all these years. Last Tuesday, we caught up with each others' lives and we're even planning our HS reunion in 2013. It'll be our 20th year then. My, how time flies... But the interesting thing is that after all these years, we have managed to stay the same. I mean, of course, not exactly the same in all aspects, but basically, the way we were in HS (cooky, fun-loving, talkative, really comfy in each others' presence) is still how we are now and it's a lot of fun when you meet old friends and remember them the same way. Despite the ups and downs in all our lives these past 16 years since we graduated (believe me, some of my friends' stories will make you cry) when we get together, we are all happy to be in each others' company. And I love my friends. I know that they will be my friends forever. (Cheesy I know, but true.) Anyway, we're planning another get together, this time with our kids on April 5 so I'm really looking forward to that. :)

SUPPORT EARTH HOUR

Earth Hour 2009 – What Will You Be Doing?

Cuddling up with your loved ones and admiring the stars in the night sky or organising a treasure hunt in the dark? At 8:30pm on Saturday 28 March, people from all corners of the world will turn off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour - and cast their vote for action on climate change. Anybody can participate and join together with millions of people across the globe celebrating Earth Hour.

Earth Hour is about taking simple steps everyday that collectively reduce carbon emissions – from businesses turning off their lights when their offices are empty to households turning off appliances rather than leaving them on standby.

Here are 10 different ways to spend Earth Hour and reduce your carbon footprint:

1. Attend a local Earth Hour event or organise your own by throwing an Earth Hour street party with your neighbours
2. Gather family & friends for a night picnic in your local park and look at the stars
3. Enjoy a family dinner by candlelight
4. Organise a treasure hunt in the dark
5. Take the dog for a night walk
6. Have a candle-lit bath
7. Sit in the dark and share stories
8. Organise a family night playing board games
9. Share a romantic night in with your loved one
10. Upload your ‘on the night’ photos and videos to flickr and YouTube respectively, and then add them to the Earth Hour flickr group and the global YouTube Group.

Earth Hour Executive Director, Andy Ridley, is encouraging people to participate in whatever way they choose and to think beyond the hour.

“There are no hard and fast rules surrounding participation in Earth Hour. We only ask that you flick that switch and have fun doing whatever you choose to do during that time.

Make Earth Hour work for you. Families with young children should feel free to turn their lights off earlier than 8:30pm and for those having too much fun in the dark during the hour, don’t feel you have to limit yourself to one hour and switch back on at 9:30pm.”

To find out more about Earth Hour, visit the official website www.earthhour.org, sign up and join millions of people in more than 1,400 cities and towns in 80 countries throughout the world by turning off your lights for one hour at 8:30pm on Saturday 28 March.

MARANG

Yummy fruit! :)

STUFFY NOSE

Been feeling lousy since yesterday. I have this cold and it's just nasty. Yesterday I just felt terrible and sulky. My poor boys had to put up with my gloomy disposition. I napped the whole afternoon because of a headache and today there seems to be no sign of my cold disappearing despite my efforts to drown it with Vitamin C (yummy orange juice) and water. By afternoon I couldn't take it any more so I took a decongestant and analgesic in one and by evening my headache was gone. My cold is still here but my nose is not as runny any longer so hopefully it'll go away in the next few days.

.....

We're all set for the weekend. We're going to the nearby cities of Pagadian and Dipolog (plus the nearby Dapitan City) for our roadtrip. It's Mommy's birthday this Sunday so it'll be a fun, on-the-road celebration for her. We already made her a special book (titled A Book About Mimi) and we're planning to bring it with us so she'll have a present to open while we are in Dipolog. I hope she likes it. Nikki is quite excited to give it to her. :) I am excited about the trip too. I haven't been to a roadtrip in Mindanao ever so this will be quite an experience for sure. Plus, I am excited to take photos as well. I might find many interesting things along the way. Yup! Excited.

.....

Today I read in the newspaper about this boy, Efren Penaflorida who teaches kids in slum areas out of the goodness of his heart. His library? A pile of books in a pushcart. That's how dedicated this boy is. His story is sooo inspiring. I wish my boys would grow up to be selfless and as concerned about other people as he is. Here is a short article about Efren from www.inquirer.net: (P.S. Please support his cause; visit http://dynamicteencompany.org/)

CNN honors Peñaflorida as modern day hero

A 27-year-old Filipino worker who grew up near the slums of Cavite has been named a “CNN Hero” as part of the news network’s program honoring ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary feats around the world.

Efren Peñaflorida Jr., who organized Dynamic Teen Co. as a teenager to bring education to unschooled and neglected street children, was featured on CNN’s Larry King Live last Friday, March 5.

Born to Efren Sr., a tricycle driver, and Lucila Geronimo, a housewife, Peñaflorida grew up near the city’s open dump, where he played and swam near the garbage.

Although he was harassed and threatened by gangs that terrorized his school, Penaflorida realized early on that many less fortunate children didn’t have his opportunity to go to school.

At 16, he recruited three high school friends to go to the slums on Saturdays to teach younger kids. The group, which began as a club to keep students from joining gangs and notorious fraternities that were thriving on campus, has become a 10,000-strong volunteer force that has tutored some 1,500 children from the slums.

Peñaflorida teaches at a private school in Cavite City and still accompanies volunteers to the slums every Saturday.

Peñaflorida is the third of about 32 CNN Heroes to be unveiled this year.

A blue ribbon panel will then select the top 10 CNN Heroes before the public selects the “CNN Hero of the Year” by voting at the CNN Heroes site (www.CNN.com/Heroes).

At a year-end gala, CNN will honor the 10 heroes and reveal the “CNN Hero of the Year,” who will receive $100,000.

In its second year in 2008, CNN Heroes received nearly 4,000 submissions from 75 countries.

LITTLE BUG

Took a photo of this little guy one rainy day. :)

SAD

I was so saddened to hear about Natasha Richardson's death. Not only was it so unexpected, I really like her as a person and as an actor. Ruther loves the move The Parent Trap and I think she played a great character as the mom of the twins in the story. This is just tragic news and I can't help feeling sad and depressed about the whole thing.

Here's the news about the accident:

Natasha Richardson dies after fall on ski slope

By HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer

NEW YORK – Natasha Richardson, a gifted and precocious heiress to acting royalty whose career highlights included the film "Patty Hearst" and a Tony-winning performance in a stage revival of "Cabaret," died Wednesday at age 45 after suffering a head injury during a beginners' ski lesson.

Alan Nierob, the Los Angeles-based publicist for Richardson's husband Liam Neeson, confirmed her death in a written statement.

"Liam Neeson, his sons (Micheal, 13, and 12-year-old Daniel), and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha," the statement said. "They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."

The statement did not give details on the cause of death for Richardson, who suffered a head injury and fell on a beginner's trail during a private ski lesson at the luxury Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec. Seemingly fine after the fall, about an hour later she complained that she didn't feel well.

She was hospitalized Tuesday in Montreal and later flown to a hospital in New York, where family members had been seen coming and going.

Vanessa Redgrave, Richardson's mother, arrived in a car with darkened windows and was taken through a garage when she arrived at the Lenox Hill Hospital on Manhattan's Upper East Side about 5 p.m. Wednesday. An hour earlier, Richardson's sister, Joely, arrived alone and was swarmed by the media as she entered through the back of the hospital.

It was a sudden and horrifying loss for her family and friends, for the film and theater communities, for her many fans and for both her native and adoptive countries. Descended from at least three generations of actors, Richardson was a proper Londoner who came to love the noise of New York, an elegant blonde with large, lively eyes, a bright smile and a hearty laugh.

If she never quite attained the acting heights of her Academy Award-winning mother, she still had enjoyed a long and worthy career. As an actress, Richardson was equally adept at passion and restraint, able to portray besieged women both confessional (Tennessee Williams' Blanche DuBois) and confined (the concubine in the futuristic horror of "The Handmaid's Tale").

Like other family members, she divided her time between stage and screen. On Broadway, she won a Tony for her performance as Sally Bowles in a 1998 revival of "Cabaret." She also appeared in New York in a production of Patrick Marber's "Closer" (1999) as well as 2005 revival of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire," in which she played Blanche opposite John C. Reilly's Stanley Kowalski.

She met Neeson when they made their Broadway debuts in 1993, co-starring in "Anna Christie," Eugene O'Neill's drama about a former prostitute and the sailor who falls in love with her.

"The astonishing Natasha Richardson ... gives what may prove to be the performance of the season as Anna, turning a heroine who has long been portrayed (and reviled) as a whore with a heart of gold into a tough, ruthlessly unsentimental apostle of O'Neill's tragic understanding of life," The New York Times critic Frank Rich wrote. "Miss Richardson, seeming more like a youthful incarnation of her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, than she has before, is riveting from her first entrance through a saloon doorway's ethereal shaft of golden light."

Her most notable film roles came earlier in her career. Richardson played the title character in Paul Schrader's "Patty Hearst," a 1988 biopic about the kidnapped heiress for which the actress became so immersed that even between scenes she wore a blindfold, the better to identify with her real-life counterpart.

"Natasha Richardson ... has been handed a big unwritten role; she feels her way into it, and she fills it," wrote The New Yorker's Pauline Kael. "We feel how alone and paralyzed Patty is — she retreats into being a hidden observer."

Richardson was directed again by Schrader in a 1990 adaptation of Ian McEwan's "The Comfort of Strangers" and, also in 1990, starred in the screen version of Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale."

She later co-starred with Neeson in "Nell," with Mia Farrow in "Widow's Peak" and with a pre-teen Lindsay Lohan in a remake of "The Parent Trap." More recent movies, none of them widely seen, included "Wild Child," "Evening" and "Asylum."

She was born in London in 1963, the performing gene inherited not just from her parents (Vanessa Redgrave and director Tony Richardson), but from her maternal grandparents (Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson), an aunt (Lynn Redgrave) and an uncle (Corin Redgrave). Her younger sister, Joely Richardson, also joined the family business.

Friends and family members remembered Natasha as an unusually poised child, perhaps forced to grow up early when her father left her mother in the late '60s for Jeanne Moreau. (Tony Richardson died in 1991).

Interviewed by The Associated Press in 2001, Natasha Richardson said she related well to her family if only because, "We've all been through it in one way or another and so we've had to be strong. Also we embrace life. We are not cynical about life."

Richardson always planned to act, apart from one brief childhood moment when she wanted to be a flight attendant — "wonderful irony now since I hate to fly and have to take a pill in order to get on a plane. I'm so terrified."

Her screen debut came at age 4 when she appeared as a flower girl in "The Charge of the Light Brigade," directed by her father, whose movies included "Tom Jones" and "The Entertainer." The show business wand had already tapped her the year before, when she saw her mother in the 1967 film version of the Broadway show "Camelot."

"She was so beautiful. I still look at that movie and I can't believe it. It still makes me cry, the beauty of it. I could go on and on — in that white fur hooded thing, when she comes through the forest for the first time. You've never seen anything so beautiful!" Richardson said.

She studied at London's Central School of Speech and Drama and was an experienced stage actress by her early 20s, appearing in "On the Razzle," "Charley's Aunt" and "The Seagull," for which the London Drama Critics awarded her most promising newcomer.

Although she never shared her mother's fiercely expressed political views, they were close professionally and acted together, most recently on Broadway to play the roles of mother and daughter in a one-night benefit concert version of "A Little Night Music," the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler musical.

Before meeting up with Neeson (who called her "Tash") Richardson was married to theater and producer Robert Fox, whose credits include the 1985 staging of "The Seagull" in which his future wife appeared.

She sometimes remarked on the differences between her and her second husband — she from a theatrical dynasty and he from a working-class background in Northern Ireland.

"He's more laid back, happy to see what happens, whereas I'm a doer and I plan ahead," Richardson told The Independent on Sunday newspaper in 2003. "The differences sometimes get in the way but they can be the very things that feed a marriage, too."

She once said that Neeson's serious injury in a 2000 motorcycle accident — he suffered a crushed pelvis after colliding with a deer in upstate New York — had made her really appreciate life.

"I wake up every morning feeling lucky — which is driven by fear, no doubt, since I know it could all go away," she told The Daily Telegraph newspaper in 2003.

SAVE,SAVE,SAVE

Click the chart to view larger image. Let's all do our part to save the Earth!! :)

CACTI

From my mom's garden. :)

SPENDING TIME WITH MIMI AND POPSIE

It's wonderful seeing the boys bond with my mom and dad. My dad really loves having the boys around. We're not even halfway through our vacation and already my dad has been lamenting about how he'll miss the boys when we're back in Manila. He really missed them because we didn't come to Zamboanga for a visit last year before we left for Japan. So now he's really trying to spend as much time with them as he could. We've already been to the beach, to a swim resort and to several places in the city because my dad knows that the boys love roadtrips and to swim. We go to church twice a week (Fridays and Sundays) and the boys and I tag along and it's a miracle that they don't put up a fuss here (unlike when we were in Japan). My mom and dad couldn't be happier. They have also taught Nikki the prayer before meals and my dad never forgets to call Nikki to lead the prayer every lunchtime. It's amazing how fast my boy learns when he's interested. Anyway, we're going to teach him more of course but it's nice to see my mom and dad teach my boys for a change. I'm happy that they are concerned about their spiritual growth and see to it that they are learning good things. And I am glad that my parents are very much the same "parents" to the boys as they were/are to me and my siblings. When the boys are out of line, they scold them the way they did us and yet, they never overstep me when I discipline the boys. It's nice to know that they trust me and my parenting skills. Yes, it feels good to be surrounded by so much love and support and to be acknowledged as a good mother. I'm sure the boys and my parents have a lot of bonding to do these next few weeks and I'm glad we're here for this opportunity to spend time with the family.

.....

After checking the internet for the schedule and fees for the summer swimming classes in Manila, I'm now thinking of enrolling Nikki. I was supposed to enrol him last year but we needed the money for our visa application and fare to Japan so we didn't push through with it. But now, aside from being physically ready, Nikki is old enough to follow instructions, to trust his coach and to not fear the water. So yeah, I think I'll be enrolling him late-April. Hopefully, he'll love the lessons and be able to continue to the next level very soon.

SOME PRACTICE SHOTS

Here are some photos I took recently on my Nikon D50. I still have a lot to learn but I'm enjoying the journey. :)

YUMMY DURIAN

Yay! We have gotten around to eating the fruit these past days and I'm really happy it's available this early in the year. I don't care what some people say about this fruit. I don't care if some find it smelly or revolting. I don't care if some people can't stand it. I love it and my family loves it. I've been eating it all my life and I don't think I'm going to get fed up of it. The last time I was in Zamboanga I didn't get a chance to eat durian so I'm quite happy that it's now being sold around the city. Yay!

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I've been researching the 'net for places of interest and accommodations around Dipolog and Dapitan Cities for our upcoming roadtrip. We were initially planning a trip to Camiguin, an island in Northern Mindanao (we're in Western Mindanao) but aside from costing a lot to get there by bus, we would need another 2-hr. bus ride when we get to Cagayan de Oro and then take another 2-hr. ferry ride to Camiguin. Just thinking about it already exhausts me. And my mom agreed that that would be too expensive, too tiring and just too bothersome. So now we're planning to visit the not-too-far-away citites of Dipolog and Dapitan. I'm actually excited to get there. Aside from this being my first Mindanao road trip, the last time I was in those cities was when I was in high school. So yeah, I'm excited to see the places and to take thousands of photos. I hope I won't run out of SD cards! :)

.....

I've been reading No Place Like Home by Mary Higgins Clark and although I really love her books, I've been too preoccupied by many things to really appreciate the story. I know, I suck. But well I can't help being worried about things and I can't help thinking about things that affect me, my family and our future. Anyway, I'm halfway through the book and if I concentrate hard enough and push all other thoughts from my head, the story is quite riveting. So I plan to finish the book before the week is over then get around to doing all those other things that's been bothering me for the past days.

Sigh.

PINK

Took this photo at an aunt's garden one afternoon. :) I love flowers.

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, GOOD NEWS

We visited my aunt at the hospital tonight and I'm happy to say that she is doing great. She had her right shin/foreleg amputated and according to my cousins, she is recovering well. Apparently, the infected part of her then-leg was causing her extreme discomfort and pain which hindered her movements and made her depressed and irritable. My cousins also said that because she no longer feels the discomfort, she is no longer depressed and moves a lot now than before. Well, I was really glad to hear that. My aunt has always had a fragile disposition and is easily affected by many things, so hearing good news for a change was just wonderful. Plus, if she continues to improve, she may leave the hospital this weekend! I think that is really great. Thank you, by the way, for all your prayers. I am really and truly grateful.

.....

One of Mommy's dogs passed away the other day. A few days ago, we noticed that Serena was bleeding. Thinking that she got into a fight with another dog, we checked her for a wound or laceration but we couldn't find any. Then we saw drops of blood near her again the next day and we thought it was her time of the month. The day after that she passed away. Daddy suspected it was some sort of internal hemorrhage (trust my Dad to give medical diagnosis) but we still don't know the reason why she bled like that. So now my mom is down one dog. Serena wasn't as cute as the other doggies but she'll be missed...

.....

My mom and dad are planning a roadtrip! Yay! I'm excited! I've lived in Zamboanga for a looong time but we never went on a roadtrip in Mindanao. Ever. My sis and bro were fortunate to experience one when everyone (my grandma, cousin, uncle and his gf from Canada were here then) went on a roadtrip to Dipolog, Cagayan and General Santos cities. I was in Japan then. So yeah, it should be my turn now. And I'm really excited. We're still making plans but hopefully we'll have the roadtrip soon. ;)

DAY AT THE BEACH

I took this photo last Sunday. In the water are the boys and my mom.

I LIKE IT

Just started watching the movie (just now) and already I noticed some differences from the book. I paused the movie to take the time to write this, and will pause and write as I continue to notice many things throughout the flick. I know, I'm weird but just let me have my say...

1. Rosalie. My gawd, she's not how I pictured her in my mind. In the book, she's this enthereal creature, really really beautiful, blonde, and really really out of this world. But in the movie, she looked like any model in a magazine. That was not enough for me. And yes, I was disappointed.

2. Jacob. Uh, after finishing all the books, I still had no idea how this character would look like and although I was a teeny bit surprised about the actor playing Jacob, I suppose he's all right. I'm just curious about the change that will transpire in him in the next movie. I think that will be interesting.

3. The relationship between Bella and Charlie is just as it is in the book: strained, awkward, uncomfortable at times, but you could still tell that he tries his best to be a good father and she tries to reassure him that she's okay in Forks.

Okay, on with the movie...

4. Bella's truck... is just how I pictured it. I thought it was really cool. For an old truck.

5. Alice. I pictured her to be smaller, more pixielike and cute. I suppose I had Dakota Fanning in mind but I suppose Ashley Greene is okay. I guess I'm more disappointed with Rosalie than Alice so...

6. I expected the Cullens to look more dangerous (meaning a lot scary) when angered but they only looked real serious in crouching positions, which to me, is a bit lacking (especially after getting all apprehensive in those action-packed moments in the book). I mean, of course I did not expect their faces to change like the vamps in the tv series Buffy but I at least expected them to have scary looks. Of course, that's just my opinion.

7. The movie is definitely less sappy from the book, that's for sure. And I like it like that. There isn't much sappy moments, no googly-eyed Bella, no moments of extreme insecurity. Just unique Bella trying to understand a very special Edward. And I'll say it again. I like it.

The movie is actually great. I had some qualms after reading the book but I found it very entertaining and having just enough sweetness from Bella and Edward. After watching Harry Potter movies and not liking the "interpretation" too much, I must say, I'm happy with Twilight. And I'm actually looking forward to watching the sequel. Hopefully, that will be in the theatre. And with Ruther.

VANILLA

Meet Vanilla. :)

RAINY

We had some rains today. Since I recently read in my photography book about taking advantage of bad weather to practice photography, I decided to go out into the garden and take some shots while it was raining. It was kinda fun although I had to obsess about not getting the camera wet, especially the lens. But I did try taking as much photos as I could with different settings and exposures so hopefully, I got some good shots (which I will post here later on). I'm itching to get out and take more photos. Last Sunday at the beach, I really enjoyed taking so many different shots and I always love sunsets so that was a good day. Maybe next week we could go back and I'll try taking more interesting shots then. :)

.....

The boys had their hair trimmed today. Daddy's barber does home service so I asked my dad if the boys could get a haircut as well. So this morning we were all out in the garden while the boys had their trim. Nikki went ahead of course, and he was a good boy, as always. No muss, no fuss. I was worried about Ethan because he HATES getting a hair cut but miracle of miracles, he cooperated beautifully. So now he has a really nice haircut and even Ruther liked it. Maybe they could get another trim before we leave for Manila next month. :)

.....

Mommy and I watched the movie Australia this afternoon. We liked it. I liked the story and I think Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman made a good couple in the movie. Of course I cried in some parts (no surprise there). I think the movie was beautifully written. Tita Nicki has been encouraging me to watch it because she loved it and not only because she's Australian. (*wink*) I was intrigued of course. And now that I've seen the movie I could say that I liked it. My only complaint is that I wish that I watched it with Ruther though.

Oh well.

AT THE BEACH

We spent this afternoon at the beach and of course, the boys loved it. Nikki was a bit wary of the seaweeds at first but once he steered clear of those floating greens he was okay. Ethan on the other hand was complain-y the whole time. He would complain about the waves when they pushed him around, or the seaweeds when they clung to him, or the sand and pebbles that dirtied his feet and slippers. I took his video then so I could show Ruther how crazy he was this afternoon. Anyway, I was also able to practice some of my shots using both my point-and-shoot and my Nikon. I was happy with the results then but of course, I have yet to see them clearly in the laptop. I'll do that tomorrow because I'm just too tired right now. Anyway, Nikki had a lot of fun even if we were at the beach for only 2 hours, so on the way home, he told my mom and dad that we'll be returning next week. Of course, you know my parents' reply to that, I'm sure. :)

.....

We still have no updates about my aunt's condition. My mom and dad were supposed to visit her yesterday at the hospital but she was still under observation so they decided to postpone the visit to another day. I haven't contacted my cousins yet because 1. I'm sure they have a lot on their minds, 2. I really don't know what to say, and 3. they have always been sensitive about their mom's condition. I'll still try to give them a call this week though. I hope that by then their mom will be all right.

P.S. Thanks for your prayers...

.....

I've been researching in the internet about the dependent visa for Japan. I just want to be prepared, I suppose, and know which documents I need to ready for the application. I'm thinking that once I get to Manila I'll start collecting our documents so that once I receive Ruther's papers from Japan we'll be all set for the submission. Our target month is in July (no date yet) so this means we have to submit our documents by June to meet our "deadline". Anyway, I hope there will be no hitches any more and that we will be reunited with Ruther soon.

.....

Nikki's cough is almost gone and I am happy about that. I'm not really a fan of cough medicines and I remember some time ago Nikki had to take a round of antibiotics because his cough was just terrible. So it's a good thing his cough is almost totally gone now. Whew! Ethan is all better and is not coughing at all so yeah, I'm happy about that too. :)

IN THE WATER

My boys love the water. I love this photo of the two of them holding hands underwater. :)

NEED PRAYERS

Nikki is feeling much better these days, thank goodness, but his cough hasn't disappeared completely yet. I'm hoping that he'll be improving this coming week so that he could get his appetite back and gain some weight. He's thinner now and that's what usually happens when Nikki is sick, even for just a few days. I hope he'll get heavier before we head back to Manila next month.

.....

Now that we are in Zamboanga, we are once more surrounded by dogs and pups. My mom has made them her babies after my brother (the youngest) went to Manila for college. So far the boys have met Shiro, Vanilla, Oreo, Chico, Serena and Wamba. I don't know the other dogs, who are kept at the back of the house. And my mom already gave away 2 pups to friends so you can only imagine how many dogs we have here. I supose it's good that our doggies are small because the house would be so crowded! Chico is the cutest as far as I could tell. But he currently has an eye infection on his right eye because a bigger dog fought him I guess. Poor pup. But my mom brought him to the vet already. I told her to have an eyepatch made for him so that he'll look real cute! Anyway Nikki enjoys giving the doggies treats. Ethan is a bit wary and always tells them to go away. Sigh. I guess he takes after my sis. :)

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I am feeling sad for my aunt. My mom just told me today that she will be undergoing an operation tomorrow to have her feet and perhaps part of her legs amputated because of infection brought about by diabetes. I feel very sad for my cousins. I know they are suffering right now and maybe are in despair. My aunt has been suffering for several years now and this is an extreme move that will surely break her spirit in half (she is not a strong woman) but I know that with her kids' support, she could still come out of this fighting. I hope that you will help me pray for my aunt and to at least help make this crisis bearable for her. All your prayers will be appreciated. God bless.

NIKKI IS SICK

Yeah, my boy is sick. Not the fever kind but the cough kind. He also complained of dizziness this morning and he didn't want to get out of bed at all which meant he really was feeling bad because Nikki would not stay in bed at all if he was all better. So I felt really bad for him. I bought some paracetamol for him tonight to alleviate some of his headache and he did eat his dinner so I'm glad. I just hope his cough won't get worse in the next few days. If it doesn't let up, we'll have to go to a pediatrician soon for a check-up.

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We're in Zamboanga right now. So far so good. We arrived here last Monday and we almost spent the entire day sleeping because Ethan, Nikki and I didn't sleep well the night before. Nikki was restless because of his cough and Ethan was restless too because of his cold. And since the 2 were so restless and I had to make sure we woke up at 3am for our 550am flight to Zamboanga, I kept on waking up every 30 minutes or so. Finally at 240am I just got up and readied our bags. I couldn't doze properly in the plane too so when we arrived home we just changed and then I napped til lunchtime. After lunch, we did some more snoozing but the boys kept on waking me up so we were still pretty tired by 9pm. Sigh.

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My mom's brother and his wife are visiting (they came from Canada) so they are staying with us for a week. They are flying to Manila tomorrow so I only spent 2 days with them, bonding, catching up wityh stories, asking about my cousins who I haven't seen in 10 years and just trying to make the most of out short time together. It's actually nice to see relatives after so long. My uncle has been meaning to visit 5 years ago but things got busy in Canada so they only found time now. But, now that they have met all the (surviving) relatives and friends and seen the big changes in Zamboanga and Manila, they told me that the next time they come for a visit won't be in another 10 years. They'll come back in two years' time and maybe my cousins will be with them. I think that would be great. And who knows. Maybe Ruther and I will get to visit Canada in the future too. :)