I Learned How to use Bicycle

Would you believe it?

From the title itself, I learned how to bike at the age of 26.

Nakakaawa no?! Hahaha.

Yeah, although people thought I was kidding when I posted this photo on my IG and Facebook account.

But seriously, ngayon lang ako natutuong mag bike and I loved it soooo much! I want to buy a bike na. Hahahah!

I was born poor so mainly, my parents can't buy a bicycle for us. We were 5 siblings so imagine the riot if they only buy one bike for all of us. Lol! When I was in high school, a friend owns one but I was too scared to use it. I had a lot of scars on my legs and I don't want to add more into it. I heard you'll get one before you learned how to use bicycle.

Fast forward to earlier this month, I joined my sister and my niece's jogging session. They go to Commerce Center in Alabang where the place offers a good ambiance for joggers and bikers. There are hardly any cars in that area so you could really have some fitness/fun/family time.

This was near Parque Espana in Alabang. There's also a bicycle for rent so I was surprised my sister want to rent for us to use. I was really scared at first and I have to try and try until I finally found the pace and the balance. It was the balancing that I was scared of but hey, I managed to face my fears didn't I?

I was so glad that finally, I felt free. Lol! I always thought ang sarap siguro mag bike and it was true! I am now aiming to buy just a normal entry level bicycle that I could use when I feel like it.

While in the process of learning how to bike, I kept telling myself that I can do things when I want to. That it's never too late to do things that you like and you are never too old for anything. In a matter of 1 hour, I learned the basics and can now use the bicycle. I know it was very mababaw and simple things but I proved to myself that I can do things when I put my mind into it. Biking scares me before, but I am bigger than my fears! And yeah, I did it. The next day, my whole body aches and I have bruises on my legs, as in a lot of them. Yung tipong para akong binugbog because tumatama yung binti ko in the pedal. Hahahah!

I would now like to have a bike for me, Daryl and a new one for Jami as he has outgrown his baby bike. I want to get one for him that has a wheel trainer at the back and a basic entry level for me. Daryl knows how to bike so definitely he could have his intermediate or advanced bike, if there's such. Lol! We could go here again for some biking/fitness/family time, can't we? I kept telling myself that I won't let Jami and my future kids not to learn how to use bicycle when they're younger. Hahaha!

I have been bugging my team leader about bicycles since he owns once and uses it to go to work. He's been giving me a tip or two about bikes and I am really excited to get one when our  budget allows. =)

Manila Zoo Visit for our 10th Year Anniversary

This is a long overdue post (July last year) but I think this still deserves to be posted. I have been looking for the photos that we took but I really can't find them. Anyway, they weren't that nice because of the resolution of the camera.

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As Daryl and I celebrated our 10 years together, he asked me where I wanted to go. Since I have been working on our budget, I realized the we don't have a spare money to use for our anniversary. I know this day is also important so as our budget. I explained that we can only go to places that we can afford. Couple of weeks ago, we asked Jami if he wants to see an elephant and he said yes so I suggested we'll just visit the Manila Zoo.

It has been a while since I went there so I want to re-visit the place. I know for sure that Jami would enjoy seeing new animals. I also looked forward to seeing the elephant because I heard that it was too old already. I won't be able to bring Jami in Indonesia yet to see a live elephant so I guess this will be an excuse. Hahah!

We reached the zoo at 3:30pm. I was quite nervous because I don't know their operating hours and I was thinking na baka close na sila. We had a little trouble with parking since there were a lot of visitors on weekends. I also heard that entrance fee are quite expensive compared before specially for those who are not residence of Manila. We were charged Php100/each while Jami was free.

Upon entrance, we were so giddy to see the elephant! Lol! He was hiding at the back part of his home so we have to go on the side to see him up close. I bet Jami got surprised na malaki pala ang elephants in real life. Hahah! He doesn't want to go near him, he was a little scared! But good job to our baby he's so happy to see the elephant. We even saw him eating bunch of leaves. It was amazing!! Lol. I never thought I would appreciate these things. Ganun ata talaga if you have a kid, you'll be delighted because you know that they're happy and curious. =)

We went around the place and saw the hippopotamus. At first, he's submerged in the water. But later on was called by an animal keeper to make him eat while a group of tourists were inside the cage watching the hippo closely. He would open his mouth so the keeper could put cabbage and even corn inside his mouth. I can't believe the hippo looked like that, parang ang bigat ng katawan!

We saw more animals like Monkeys, Crocodiles, Hebra (it was crossed breed by a horse and a zebra), deers, tigers, different kinds of birds, Owls, Fishes etc. I was so glad to be able to see those animals again. It's not everyday that we could get to see them. I am just sad that the Lion can't be found. I don't know if the lion I saw years ago died already but we can't find him there. Also, I was told that an orangutan was there too years ago but not there when we went.

The night before our visit, I checked Manila Zoo's Facebook page to check their operating hours but what I saw was mostly negative feedback about the zoo. I was saddened and hesitated to go too but we still gave it a shot to see how it looked on our own perspective. Well, honestly, I never been to another zoo before so I don't have anything to compare with.I would say that the zoo was kind of sad and weren't maintained religiously. I hope they could look after those animals more because it's saddening to see them in a state that weren't so happy.

Anyway, for a quick getaway, you can visit Manila zoo for the benefit of your kids to see those animals that they rarely see in the metro.

Day Tour at Stilts Calatagan plus Budget Guide

On Mother's Day, we went to Stilts in Calatagan, Batangas. I have been looking to have some beach time over the past weeks and it was a last minute decision to pick Stilts.

I was looking for a nice resort in Batangas for months and I am really eyeing the Aquaria Beach and Waterpark resort. I found an all day pass on a discounted price but still find it expensive for a day tour. I am looking for a place where we could enjoy the beach and lounge on swimming pools at some point too.

As far as I can remember, Stilts offers a wonderful place to stay but with a very stiff price. I have read blogs about it and it looked really nice. It's on my radar for quite some time but can't afford to stay overnight.

As I said, on last minute, I came across Stilts Calatagan and their day tour rates when I searched for cheap day tours in Batangas. I was so glad to see that it's affordable despite of their expensive nightly rates. I immediately texted them and asked about their day tours. The person whom I exchange text message with (didn't get the chance to know his/her name and he/she didn't bother to introduce his/herself too) was every accommodating. He/She answered all my questions and was very prompt specially during the booking process.

I want to schedule our day tour on a Saturday, May 13, but was told they are fully booked. Good thing, they could still accommodate us the next day which was on Mother's Day! Yehey!! =) The only thing is that they no longer have huts available except their cozy nook.

I took it so we could push through with it. It was very timely to have a celebration anyway. =)

I was sent an email to reserve my slots and was asked to deposit 50% downpayment. Since it was on a Friday and I can't go to the nearest bank, I asked if I could just fund transfer which they agreed. I sent the screen shot of the deposit and immediately received a confirmation email of my booking.

We don't have a private car so we decided to commute our way to Calatagan.

How to Commute to Stilts Calatagan

We came from Pasay so from Mcdonalds in MRT Taft station, a terminal of buses to some parts of Luzon and Visayas are available. I asked about a bus going straight to Calatagan but was told there were no available buses to take us there. They offered to ride Nasugbu bound instead.

From MRT Taft Station, our bus took the Emilio Aguinaldo Highway in Cavite. The bus got so crowded in some part of Cavite up to Tagaytay so better to go on their terminals to secure seats. Bus fare from Pasay to Lian is Php150+ pesos. After 2 and a half hours of bus ride, we dropped off at 711 in Lian, Batangas. We walked on a street before it and saw the jeepney and tricycle terminal. We rode a jeep going to Calatagan Market that took about an hour. Jeepney fare was Php38.When we arrived in Calatagan Market, we bought mineral water and looked for a tricycle to take us to Stilts. Tricycle ride is Php40/head.

Tip: There are other bus terminal around metro manila that you can go to. There are van in Metropoint in MRT Taft too that could take you to Calatagan for a higher price. You could also choose to go to Buendia since bus from Calatagan to Manila have terminal there or go to bus terminal in Coastal Mall (update - Macapagal terminal). In that way. you can avoid the hassle of commuting longer and save time and energy for your day tour. Alabang also has a terminal in South Station for buses bound to Batangas.

Start of Day Tour

We arrived at Stilts around 9:30am. The guard asked us for our name and checked the reservations. There was another guard shortly after and it was our tricycle driver who advised them of our booking. The driver dropped us off on the resort's make-shift place for reception. There are probably a lot of visitors that day so they decided to have a tent to accommodate groups of people conveniently. They offered a welcome drink and made us pay the Environmental fee of Php30/pax. We also paid the remaining amount due, gave us a map and directed us to Harmony Beach where day tours mostly stay. They offer a free van ride to any point in the beach for you to conveniently bring your bags. I am surprised though that they didn't inspect our bags to check if we brought cooked food. The receptionist only asked if we have cooked meals with us.

We looked for the cozy nook which can be pretty easy to find because of the big trees that served as a shade from the scorching heat of the sun.

Cozy Nook 1

Sorry I don't have a much nicer photo of their cozy nook as we put all of our things immediately when we arrived. Here's how it looked like from their website.

source

 This is exactly how it looked like except that tire-swing which was on the other side of the tree. It was the perfect spot since it was close to the beach, we could watch Jami while he's swimming plus that big tree that shields us from direct sunlight. I would say that it was really worth the amount we paid for that spot. I prefer this rather than the nipa hut as it can get a little humid dahil magsisiksikan kayo sa loob. The cozy nook offered us what we need - the beach, the sand, a little of the sun and the fresh breeze of the air.

When we finally settled down, Jami wanted to swim agad so off he went with his playmate, Kuya Angelo. We were starving so we went to their restaurant to check the menu. Food ranges from Php250-450 good for sharing (2-3 persons). They would allow day tours to bring food but with a corkage of Php 200 per head for any cooked/heavy meal food. Breads, chips, spread etc won't be charged. We were considering of just bringing in food but since we will be commuting, we decided to buy from their restaurant instead. I would say that the prices are comparable to Max's restaurant however, I didn't enjoy the food that much. Although it tastes okay but nothing spectacular.

 They delivered our food to our nook earlier than lunch time which was fine because we were starving at that point. It took probably around 30-45 minutes earlier than what we expected it to be. We thought it will be delivered to us around 12noon.

After lunch, we immediately went to swim in their pool. I wasn't surprise to see that there were a lot of people during our visit, it's Summer months and Mother's Day too.

The deepest pool height was around 6ft. The farthest pool on this photo was the kiddie pool. I would say that Jami enjoyed the pool so much. As long as he's wearing his borrowed vest from his cousin, he can be left alone. But then, we're not taking any risk so we have either Daryl or his cousin and Kuya Angelo to look after Jami. By the way, their restaurant is located on your right in the photo above. We stayed in their pool for good 30 minutes to 1 hour.

After some photo session with the gang, we decided to eat snacks and enjoy the beach. We were blessed with a weather that's cloudy so it wasn't that harsh to our skins. Just before we decided to head back to our nook, we saw the opportunity for some photo ops.

This was a view deck of their cottages. There were wooden tables and chairs for day tours. It's across their restaurant.

We suddenly wish to go near the cottages. On our way down, we saw a sign that day tours are not allowed to go there but everyone's so busy, we went anyway. Talk about matitigas ang ulo! hahaha.

The farthest cottage

The view

We didn't get the chance to see the cottages inside but some of them have hammocks outside perfect to lounge and watch the horizon. Wow! May ganun?

After our photo op, we went back to our nook to eat merienda. I couldn't believe that Jami's enjoying the place so much. He doesn't want to leave the water. I was kinda worried since he's skipping snacks already so we asked him to sit down for a while and eat. Pahirapan pa talaga. Haha!

I loved how calm and shallow their beach was. It's perfect for families so as not to worry about the safety of the kids. Although please keep in mind to look after them at all times. You don't want to risk their safety right?

They also have this part of the beach where beach weddings could be facilitated.During our stay, a group of men were preparing the venue so we took the chance to take some pictures.

You take nice pictures of them, when it's their time to take your photo.. never mind. =D

By the way, Stilts is well maintained. You can see it in their restroom. It's clean and has a separate shower area and restroom. It has a good supply of water and have place to put your things inside the shower area.

Restrooms/Shower Areas are on the right side of the photo

We ordered plenty of food for our lunch and brought breads, chips and bottled water with no corkage fee. It lasted us for merienda so we didn't order food from their restaurant anymore.

Jami wants to go back to the beach

 It was a sad thing that this is the only photo of the three of us here in Stilts. Mostly, it's me with Daryl or me and Jami. Eto ang nag iisang photo, hindi pa maayos. Haha!

At around 3pm, we decided to swim in the beach to get the feel of it and I would say that I enjoyed it too. The sand was white and fine while the water is clear.  I was hoping we have plenty of time to roam around, enjoy the beach and the place. I know that Stilts is a really big property and has a lot of picture perfect place to visit.

Last photo before going home

We left Stilts before 4pm so we could catch the bus from Calatagan to Manila. For summer months, Bus terminal in Calatagan extends up to 6pm for their last trip due to the amount of people going there versus their usual trip of 4pm.

Pros

1. Affordable. For the price of Php385/head, the place is more than it's worth. Kids 6 and below are free of charge.

2. Resort and Beach area are well maintained. They offer a lot of accommodation for a day tour, you just need to reserve upon booking.

3. Free use of pool and beach area included in the entrance fee.

4. Free ride from your cottage to the entrance of the resort. Although you can opt to walk if you still have the energy to do so.

5. Staff are accommodating. From booking process to the actual day of our tour. There were securities roaming around and staff that cleans the beach from time to time.
6. Very close to Manila, perfect for short vacations.
7. You can ask the tricycle driver to pick you up when you are ready to leave the resort. They would usually offer since there were no ways of commuting around the area. The kuya who drove us to Stilts left his mobile number to text him when we are ready to be picked up.

Cons

1. Food tastes okay.Nothing spectacular though for it's price. I hope they could improve on their Sinigang. =)
2. For commuters, you have to cut your day tour short on non Summer months due to buses last trip is at 4pm. If you have a private car then you could stay until 6pm and wait for sunset. 

I can't think of anything else that needs to improve on. I just hope they maintain the service they give at all times as Stilts is a wonderful place to stay. 

Budget

You will be able to save some if you ride the bus that goes straight to Calatagan instead of riding the Nasugbu bound. Also, I put Php500 for the food but it is adjustable depending on how many food you order. I would say that it would only be for lunch since you could bring light food and water inside the resort without corkage. Bring bread, spread and snacks to save some money as resort prices could be thrice the regular price. If you wish to bring your own cooked food or grill them in the resort, you could do so by paying Php200/head corkage fee.Charge for Cozy Nook or Nipa hut can be divided with your group so it will be a lot cheaper.

Do I recommend Stilts?

Definitely a big Yes! It was a very nice place and day tour doesn't even catch everything that the place has to offer. I hope we could stay longer but we have to go back to Manila for work. I say this is a place we could always come back for some short vacation.

Stilts Calatagan Beach Resort
Calatagan, 4215 Batangas, Philippines
+639175863343

RITM Animal Bite Center Experience and the Cost

Last month, we went to RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine) because Daryl got scratched by a cat that goes to our house for food.

So here's the background of the cat. It was called Dudut by Jami and has been in the house on and off for about half a year. It was a very malambing na cat kaso recently, she gave birth and we don't want the kittens to be inside the house kasi mabaho and kapag nag poop and pee sila, grabe ang amoy so we left them inside the compound but outside our house. Yun nga lang, Dudut carried them everywhere so hindi ko na alam kung saan napunta ang kittens. I saw one lately and mejo malaki na. Kaso mag isa na lang sya. I am not sure kung nasaan na ang iba. Hinahayaan lang namin yung cat to roam around the house most of the time because they help to minimize the existence of rats.

Anyway, ayun na nga, one morning, Daryl was lying on a cleopatra style wooden chair beside our window kung saan dumadaan si Dudut. Unfortunately, nadulas si Dudut or it didn't notice Daryl lying on its landing place so it fell straight on Daryl's face. Sa gulat nya, he took Dudut away from his face pero Dudut was holding for her dear life so yeah, nakalmot nya si Daryl. It was a really long scratch from his cheekbone to down to about an inch before his panga.

He was really worried because he posted the photo on his facebook account and tinakot na sya ng mga tao. Haha! So he was asking me to bring him to the hospital. He waited for me to go home since no one will be looking after with Jami. Just when I was on the way, Daryl and Ma Belen started looking out for clinics na pwedeng magpabakuna. After a while, they can't find any so we all agreed to meet in SM Southmall.

Good thing, I read a blog (forgot the link) where an anonymous comment says that the cheapest vaccine for animal bites can be found in RITM in Muntinlupa. I texted an officemate who lives in the same city to ask directions on how to get to RITM from South Station in Alabang.

Just before we headed to RITM, we decided to check in Alabang Medical Center in Madrigal, Alabang to see if we could instead get a vaccine from there. When we went inside ER, we were told that they have vaccines but they couldn't accept Daryl's case because the scratch was on his face. Any bites or scratch from neck and up will be directed straight to RITM immediately.

We got no choice left so we went to RITM. It was past 7pm when we arrived but people there were very accommodating including the security guard who was stationed beside the entrance of their ER. I was told that it wasn't really a hospital but a research center. After a while, a doctor interrogated Daryl on what happened including why he came in late. He should have went earlier since the scratch was around 8 in the morning. He was ask to go to pharmacy and pay the medicine. They also did a skin test for allergies.

The cost of the vaccine was a total of Php1,200 which contains 8 shots. 3 on his arms, 2 on his face beside the scratch, one on hips and 2 more on both of his legs. We have to wait for an hour to make sure that Daryl didn't feel nauseated or dizzy or any after effects of medicine. We were done at around 9:30pm.

Daryl was given a paper that contains information of his vaccine and a card for his next visit. He should come back after 3 days which fell on a holiday (May 1) so it was adjusted on the 4th day. He also has to come back for 7th and 28th day. He was told he'll have two shots on his second visit and would only need to pay Php100.

How to commute from Festival Mall to RITM

The easiest way is to get to Muntinlupa Fire Station and look for multicabs that are waiting just along the corner (near Festival Mall and Crimson hotel). Tell the driver to drop you off at RITM and pay Php15 per head. If you are traveling alone, you might need to pay for a special trip or you may wish to wait for other passengers.

You will notice at this time that RITM is on a secluded place and there are no public transportation near the place. Don't worry, the multicabs goes there from time to time to see if there are passengers waiting to be brought back to Alabang/Festival Mall.

Total Cost

We paid a total of Php1,200 for the initial vaccines. That includes an anti-tetanus vaccine as well since Daryl hadn't had one. It might be a little cheaper if you got one before hand. Anyway, this is the cheapest price that you could get for an animal bite vaccine. Most private hospitals charge from Php3,000 to Php15,000. Bare in mind that you also has to go back for other sessions so it can get really expensive.You could also opt to get your succeeding  vaccines on a local health center near your place for convenience. You just have to make sure that it's the same brand/medicine content with your initial vaccine.

In total, I am really glad with our experience with RITM. They didn't give us a hard time and didn't encounter a masungit na Nurse or Doctor. They are all accommodating and would answer your questions promptly. For the price we paid and the kind of service they gave, we were really happy.

Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)
9002 Research Dr,
Alabang, Muntinlupa, 1781
Metro Manila, Philippines

Our Mother's Day 2017

Hi Mommies?

Did you guys had a fun Mother's Day this year?

I did! It was one of the best Mother's Day ever.

You know how much I love going places and this year, we made it possible to celebrate Mother's Day more special. On my last post about Daryl's 28th birthday, I mentioned I want to celebrate small things if we can. Those small things that we do will sure make Jami remember the bonds of a family and how important occasions are. Even before Mother's Day, I asked Ma Belen if we could go out of town and she made it possible for us. I am so glad the plan pushed through on Mother's Day. =)

Jami wants to go swimming na kaya sad! :D

We had our out of town at Stilts Calatagan last Sunday kaso na sad ako to see na wala pala kaming family photo! Na realize ko when the next day when I was uploading the photos on Facebook. This is the only photo of the three of us tapos hindi pa nakisama si Jami. =(

Anyway, I'll tell you all about our trip. I can't wait to share with you the wonderful place we went to. =) Belated Happy Mother's Day to Mama, Ma Belen, my sisters, extended sisters, friend and kumares and everyone of you who's reading it.

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Jami and the Tantrums

Couple of weekends ago, Jami and I fought.

I was really guilty about our encounter that I was thinking about it the next day and the day after. I even get teary eyed kapag naalala ko. I purposefully blogging about it just now so the emotions died down.

Why is it so hard to become a parent? I came to a point where I am so confused if what I am doing is still right.

Ganto kasi yan..

I was preparing our dinner while Jami was playing games on my phone. I asked him to stop playing because the battery's about to die and we're going to eat supper in minutes time. Ang siste, he got pissed because I asked him to stop playing.He got grumpy after tapos pa iyak-iyak and he got really demanding. Ang gusto nya dapat binibigay na agad, yung mga ganyan.

So eto na, Daryl and I were preparing for our dinner when he asked for dede. I said no immediately kasi kakain na nga. I want him to eat dinner first then he can have dede. After that, he got really cranky and crying. I got mad because I am at work the whole day and that I want things to become pretty easy for us both but he's not giving it. Sinubuan ko sya ng food while he was still crying.

Me: Anong nakakaiyak, Jami?! 

The sound of me was really pissed pero I managed not to shout.

Jami cried so loud, spit the food on his mouth. I got more annoyed tinapik ko yung mouth nya. He began to cry louder and went to his Daddy.

Nagpapa awa!

The tendecy is, the TV is on so when his attention get caught, mawawala na ang momentum and I felt makakalusot sya sa mga kalokohan nya so I turned the TV off. First thing first, I want to address his attitude.

That made everything worst. Jami was so angry, he screeched. 

I lost my temper. Ayaw ko pa naman ng sinisigawan ako. I carried him to our room so he can't see Daryl then asked him to face the wall.

Naglulupasay.

I carried him para makatayo sya on his own tapos pinaharap ko lang sa wall. He was still crying, shouting, wailing, I can see he's really mad. He was jumping up and down because of his anger as he looses his self control too. Na feel ko na parang sumosobra na sya so when I saw a thin long wood somewhere in our room, pinalo ko sya.. twice.. on his right leg. I guess it hurt because nag red ng slight yung part na tinamaan sya.

He was crying endlessly and still jumping up and down. I know galit na galit na din talaga sya. I started to think if what I am doing is right. I watched him and that made me really sad, guilty, worse and all the negative feeling in the world. He was sweating kasi nakapatay yung electric fan when we went inside so I asked him to sit down sa bed and turned on the fan in front of him.

I sat beside the fan and observed him. He was still crying pero nag minimize na. Pahikbi - hikbi na lang. Lumalakas ang iyak kapag naaalala nya siguro yung encounter. I let him continue his crying until mejo nagla lie low na sya.

I talked to him in a calm voice but I didn't loose the authority in it.

Me: "Bakit nagalit si Mommy?"

Jami: (sobbing) "Kase.. Kase.. Hmmm.. Kasi..Nag iyak ako eh."

Para akong kinurot sa puso. I don't want him to think na nagagalit ako when he cries. He felt that crying is bad. It was the other way around. I want him to feel that he could cry when he's sad, mad, etc. Lalaki sya and that I want him to grow up na hindi takot ilabas ang nararamdaman nya. Men have tendency to hide their feelings and that is something I want to avoid. I want him to be open with me and his Daddy.

I know at his age, he doesn't know how to handle his emotions and that leads to tantrums.

Me: "Hindi ako nagalit kasi nag iyak ka. Nagalit ako kasi sumisigaw ka. Hindi ka pwedeng sumigaw sa mas matanda sayo. Kahit kay Daddy or kay Nanay o kahit kanino hindi ka pwedeng sumigaw."

Jami: (nodding) "Opo.. opo.. opo.."

That's what he do kapag pinagsasabihan ko sya, opo lang ng opo. I don't even know kung naiintindihan ba nya or nage gets nya ang point pero opo lang yan ng opo. Minsan, nakakaloko kasi baka nag aagree lang para matapos na ang drama. Lol.

Me: "Bakit ako nagalit?"

I tried to repeat the question para malaman ko kung nakinig ba sya or he understands the message. He's still sobbing and I felt pity towards him. I don't know kung tama ba ang mga pinag gagawa ko, sa totoo lang.

I did my best to explain bakit ako nagalit. I want to make sure that he remembered everything and that he knows the moral lesson. Pinaulit - ulit ko ang tanong until he answered correctly na kaya ako nagalit because he was shouting at me.

Me: "Galit ka ba kay Mommy?"

Jami: (Umiiling)

Me: "Hindi ka galit kay Mommy? Ano lang?"

Jami: "Sad ako.. Hindi na ako Happy."

Hindi ko na kinaya, Bes. Maiyak-iyak ako. Of course the last thing us parents want to hear is that our kids being unhappy. What more if it's you who made them sad after all.

Naiiyak tuloy ako habang tinataype ko to. =(

Me: "Sad ka? Pero hindi ka galit kay Mommy?"

Jami: (umiiling)

Me: "Sure ka?"

Jami: "opo."

I guess being sad rather than angry at you is better.

We hugged after. He hugged me for a very long time. Yung hindi lang basta hug na wala lang, masabi lang na nag hug. He hugged me for a good 3-5 minutes. I let him hug me as long as he want. Parang ayaw na nga bumitaw. I can't recall if I said sorry to him but I make sure that he feels good after our little talk. If Daryl wasn't calling us (dahil kumakain kami when the drama started), baka hindi pa kami nag bitaw sa pag hug sa isa't -isa.

We went out of the room and continue our dinner when Nanay came in and took something from our house.

Nanay: "O anong nangyari jan, bakit umiyak yan?"

Me: "Eh di ginulpi ko." (Note: exaggeration)

Nanay: "Ayan ang martilyo o, pukpukin mo. Ano bang laban nyan sayo."

Wow. I definitely need that encouragement. I feel bad na nga, ganun pa ang sinabi sakin. That's when I felt worse, I can't stop thinking about it for a good 2 days. Thinking about it now, parang ganun din naman si Mama sa akin before less the talk after the drama. Did she feel the same way before to say that to me? Probably, Yes. Or maybe she's hurt too kasi apo nga naman nya yun.

As much as possible, I don't want to use corporal punishment. As long as I can make him follow me with just telling him what to do, ginagawa ko. But I guess, there are those days when you are so tired and you feel na sumusobra na din ang attitude nila so you have to use authority. For the last 3 and a half years of me being a Mommy to Jami, this is the third time na napalo ko sya. I am reserving this kind of discipline kapag alam kong sobra na. On many small things that go wrong, pinagsasabihan ko lang by telling him na bad yun, or don't do that kasi hindi maganda yun. The last thing I want is for him to grow up na walang respect sa mas matanda sa kanya specially sa amin ng Daddy nya. I am praying na tama ang ginagawa ko for him to grow up na mabuting tao.

Calaguas Itinerary with Kids in Tow

Our tour in Calaguas might be really short but we enjoyed every bits of it, including the boat ride going back to Vinzon. Today I will share with you the simple itinerary of our team building and tips on what to do and bring when you have kids in tow.

Note: We took a package of Php2,300 per head while kids are free of charge. The package includes transportation from our choice of Bus line, boat ride from Vinzon to Calaguas Island and vice versa, island hopping, snorkeling, full board meals (day 1 lunch, dinner breakfast and Day 2 lunch).

You can read more details about our Calaguas Day 1 and Day 2.

Day 0:

09:00 PM - Ride bus from Cubao to Daet thru Superlines Bus

Day 1:

04:30 AM - Touch Down Daet Superlines Terminal
07:30 AM - Departure from Daet to Vinzon (20-30 minutes jeepney ride)
08:30 AM - Left Vinzon; rode a boat to Calaguas
10:00 AM - Arrival at Calaguas Island
10:30 AM - Swimming Time
12:00 PM - Lunch
01:00 PM - Free Time
03:30 PM - Island Hopping (1 island only)
04:30 PM - Snorkeling
05:00 PM - Back to Calaguas
06:30 PM - Dinner
07:30 PM - Lights Off

Day 2:

06:00 AM - Breakfast
07:00 AM - Free Time
08:30AM - Departure from Calaguas
11:00 AM - Arrived at Vinzon; freshen up
12:30 PM - Back to Daet Superlines Terminal
01:00 PM - Lunch
04:30 PM - Bus back to Manila
01:00 AM - Arrival at Alabang Starmall


Our itinerary was very laid back. The only thing was, we had a lot of free time that we could use for trekking but we were so tired of our road trip that my teammates ditched the idea. I can't go on trekking with just me, Daryl and Jami so we didn't push through with it. Besides, we were warned by coast guard that the waves will be huge on our Day 2 so we have to leave the island earlier than 10am. I recommend that you have at least 3 days, 2 nights stay in Calaguas to enjoy it fully. Your Day 1 could be for snorkeling, island hopping and beach time then Day 2 will be for trekking and exploring the island. Since we have work on Mondays, all of us have to go back to Manila. Although I really loved Calaguas' fine sand, wonderful water and amazing scenery, I am afraid I won't be back anytime soon but I will in the future. I really loved the island and the quiet life that it offers. I suggest too to take your tour mid April to May for a huge chance of calmer sea. During the days we were there, the waves were really big and our ride home was kinda scary specially if you have kids with you. Don't fret, boatmen are so used to it they know what to do with those big waves. Just don't forget to pray. =)

Things to Bring: 

1.) Power Banks - No electricity in the day. In the evening, you can get your gadgets charged on a store for a fee of Php20 per gadget.

2.) Lots of Mineral water - specially with kids who are still drink milk. You don't want to use unsafe water or those that came from poso. Although you will be given water during meal time, it will be safe to bring yours. You don't want to risk your kids' safety, won't you?

3.) Battery or Solar Operated Lights - Calaguas offers camp out style of accommodation so better brings lights for your convenience. We brought ours and it really helped us on night time.

4.) Waterproof Bags - Waves can be very unpredictable so to make sure your things won't get wet during your boat ride, better have waterproof bags or bring a huge plastic bags. We bought one in Vinzon that are being sold by the locals. It costs Php16 for a very huge thick plastic bags.

5.) Life Vests for Kids - it's really important during your boat rides as the coast guard will require every one to wear one. Those that are provided by the boatman can be very big for your kids so better to bring one that fits your child. My sister lend me my nephew's vest which fits Jami well. I made sure he's wearing one all throughout our boat ride.

6.) Blankets - it can get really cold in the early morning and as a sapin in the tent.

7.) Cameras/Action cam - of course you would want to capture every corner of Calaguas. You have to make sure that your gadgets has a waterproof cases for it's safety. =)

These are the things that are very useful on your trip. Just make sure you pack light too because with the huge wave, it can get pretty inconvenient carrying a lot of bags plus kids.

Enjoy the remaining days of Summer. =)

Yummy Diet PH Reviews

Part of my weight loss journey was the calorie counted meal. Offers are everywhere and there are a lot of providers to choose from. Prices also varies and of course, the taste.

I saw a lot of store that offers calorie counted meal that carries 1,200kcal/1,500kcal/1,800kcal and those who have special needs like vegetarians etc.

I chose Yummy Diet PH above all as they offer delivery schedule depending on my needs. Before booking your meals, you have to consider the delivery too because there are some that only delivers in the morning from 5am-8am for Makati and 3pm-9pm for other locations.

Anyway, I only took the minimum 3 days meal because (1) I am not sure if I'll like the food (you know how much picky eater I am); (2) Strict budget. The 1,200kcal meal costs Php1,900 for 5 days with 3 sets of meals and 2 snacks). Besides, it will be a lot easier to come up with a meal plan for only 2 days in a week rather than 5 days. Hahaha! Weekends doesn't count. I still eat regular food but in minimum amount only. Half cup of white rice and viand etc.

Since no one will be home when delivery arrives, I have it delivered in the office every late afternoon which is just according to my schedule. I chose the Cash on Delivery payment but I have meetings scheduled on the first meal delivery so the food was left in our security desk without payment pa. I have then decided to fund transfer the payment to make our lives easier. Why I didn't do it upon order? I don't have enough fund on my debit card.

 First Week of Order:

source

My Day 1: Tuesday Meal

I've never tried eating tofu as a viand ever since (except taho in the morning) so there's a lot of convincing on my part to eat the dinner. Hahah! Grabe, I can't believe I ate salad. Alam nyo naman, I am not fond of veggies so I took in a lot of courage to eat them all. Hehe. But it was a success, I managed to finish the food and liked it. The breakfast and lunch tastes good. I ate them all without much hesitation since they're yummy. I was thinking how they managed to make it taste this good without adding preservatives. I guess it's just real food no?!

Day 3 and Day 4, I have no photos to show you. I was really busy so when I get to work, I will eat lunch immediately so wala na akong picture. =(

Anyhow, I ordered another minimum meal for 3 days. This time, my sister want to try Yummy Diet too. I placed my order thru Facebook Page and placed an order thru text message for my sister. I sent them a message on their FB page that there will be 2 deliveries for me on two different addresses.

3-day meal

Monday came, I was expecting for a delivery to arrive for my Tuesday meal. Nothing came so I have to send them text messages by 10pm to ask if they are still going to deliver the meal. They were really quick in answering so I knew they delivered the food and someone received it. They sent me the address and found out that they were referring to my sister's delivery.

I explained to them that there were supposed to be two delivery. I paid for my order thru BPI fund transfer and my sister paid hers thru the same method. I sent them my screenshot of payment and immediately processed the order. Instead of Tues-Thurs meal, they offered me Wed meal and 2 Thursday meal. I suggested why don't we make it Wed-Fri meal which they agreed naman. They are very easy to talk to.

Included on my delivery on that week was a spoon and fork and some teas and coffee. My previous delivery doesn't have one so probably because of me referring my sister or for the confusion of delivery. Either way, I was happy with the food. =) This was the last set of food that I ordered because I don't want to spend too much in food delivery.

Fast forward to second week of April, I received a text message from Yummy Diet asking for a payment for my last delivery. I got really confused and felt bad that they think I didn't pay the food. Nasan naman ang kunsensya ko, kinain ko na ang food ng walang bayad. Hahah!

I told them that payment has been made the moment I placed the order. I sent a screenshot of my payment (buti hindi ko pa na delete) and advised that they could back read our conversations because the same picture was sent weeks ago. They replied na okay na. Maybe they got really really confused when I ordered for me and my sister. Although I tried my best naman to make sure the order is clear in my end.

Anyhow, I can still say that Yummy Diet lives up with their tag. The food tastes yummy and I could say that this helped me loose weight along the way. Bare in mind that I didn't exercise, just plain diet but still, I lost extra pounds and still a work in progress. In the course of my 3-days meal, I make sure that I eat food less than 1,200kcal on days that I don't have food delivery to maintain the diet. I can't say that the plan will work for everybody but it sure helped me.

Calorie Counted meal delivery are perfect for those who doesn't have time and knowledge to prepare healthy low calorie meals. If you have the budget, you may want to consider Yummy Diet PH.

*not a sponsored post

S&R SM Southmall

A long time ago, we discovered that the S&R New York Style Pizza will open in SM Southmall. I was really glad because I don't have to go to Alabang or Aseana to try their famous pizza.

Fast forward to couple of months, we tried their pizzas and when we craved for one, S&R is definitely included in our choices.

Jami and I loved their Bavarian Filled Churros. I liked how the pizza was served in a huge slice. Definitely filling and cost saving. =)

Since I was on a diet during our visits, I can only consume up to 1/4 of the pizza slice and let Daryl eat the rest. Hahah!

The place gets pretty crowded most of the time. Probably because people are so happy they can finally taste S&R pizza without going in their groceries. They have a place where you can get unlimited ketchup, mustard, onions etc. S&R doesn't only offer pizza but they carry burgers and chicken meal as well.

After our merienda, we roam around SM Southmall and saw the miniature Eiffel tower.

Sobrang likot!

Look at the photo! Grabe he grows up really fast! He looked like 7 years old in this photo. Jami got his Daddy's height and body type. Parehong payat pero matatangkad. Well, I'm glad he is kasi I am the shortest in the family. I am just hoping na mejo tumaba taba naman ng konti. Sobrang payat kasi but definitely not sickly (thank God for that!). He's about to start school this year so I am really excited! =)

Daryl turned 28

Daryl celebrated his birthday on April 4th as he welcomed another year of his life.

I have known Daryl shortly after we graduated from High School. After 11 years of being together, I know a lot about him. He has his shortcomings but there were greatness too.

For one, he never failed to make me happy. He knows how to handle my tantrums and has a lot of patience with him. I don't know kung san galing ang lahat ng patience nya sa mga kaartehan ko but I am really grateful. He's really quiet when not in the mood but can go crazy when he is.

He's also the most annoying person that I know. There are days when he doesn't listen to everything that I say and would completely do the opposite. Nakakainis lang grabe but we still manage to get things straight. Of course there were those fight that we almost give up on each other but still hold on to our relationships. I guess that's what love really does, it's a choice that you make to stay in love and grow up together.

Well we had a very simple celebration at home. Nothing fancy, just good food, a cake and a laugh. Jami never failed to make us happy, he's always the center of blowing the candles.

I cooked spaghetti and brought home a small cake. Since we just got home from our Calaguas Trip, our budget is kinda tight so we opted to have a small family lunch at home.

In the afternoon, we headed to Pasay. Well, Daryl is really fond of the place we grew up from so madalas kami jan, aside from the fact that Mama Belen (daryl's mom) lives there. We spent the whole afternoon just hanging out and had dinner in McDonald's. 

You know, this is the kind of birthday I grew up with but I know we could plan a little better next time. I promise to allocate money on an out of town trips for our birthdays moving forward to make it more memorable. Now that I have my own family, I felt that every occasion should be special for I want it to make it a tradition that Jami could look forward to.

I don't know why I didn't plan this year but yeah, I'll have it moving forward. I'll have my birthday in a month or so, so I guess I have to look for a cheaper ways to celebrate. =)

Again, Happy Happy Birthyday Daddy! Jami and I loves you so much. We wish you a good health! See you later, Babe.

Kanin Club at Westgate Alabang

March marks my eldest sister and my eldest niece's birthday. Yearly, they would invite our family for eat outs. What I liked about it was, my Ate would usually bring us to a place we've never tried before.

She brought us to Westgate Alabang and kept on telling me about Kanin Club where they ate weeks before our eat out.


Before our eat out, she tagged me along with her kids in Alabang Town center and SM southmall to look for a perfect gown for my niece's graduation ball. #sistergoals lang ang peg. Back in the time, we would go mall hopping and bazaar hopping just to look for the best #ootd for our travel plans. I miss those days na nga but we both have a lot on our plate most of the time and the limited budget of course. =)

While waiting for our seat

We ate lunch in Pancake House, Alabang Town Center.

Mac & Cheese with 2 strips of Bacon

We headed to SM southmall after some time to check if we could find a better choices there but to no avail. We met up with my brother-in-law and the rest of my side of the family and went straight back to Westgate for dinner.

Ate, Sab and me while Lalai's in a fitting room cubicle

The restaurant is very easy to find. Parking spaces are available only on both sides of the road so if there aren't many people on your visit, you'll be lucky to find one closest to the location of the resto.

Family Photo

Since it's too early for dinner when we arrived, we were able to get a long table to accommodate us all. The resto has a second level and ambiance of the place resembles an antique houses.

We just have to wait for about 10-15 minutes when our food arrived.

The whole gang =)

Ensaladang Mangga

Putok Batok

Sinangag na Sinigang

Our Food

All in all, I enjoyed the food. It was really filling and most of all Free. Hahaha! Please check here the menu. I don't know the total amount of all the food we ate because it's on my sister. It was her treat so let her be. hahah! The place is homey even the restroom. It feels like you're back in the time of Spaniards and the war. Hahaha! The staff are accommodating and prompt. =)

Thank you Ate!! Belated Happy Birthday to you and Lalai.