A SIMPLE BIRTHDAY BLOWOUT FOR MY PRINCESS

It is surely hard to live with a mom who likes everything done fast and efficient. With my two jobs, and relying solely on myself to work for my daughters, build their dreams, keep a household, have a nice career, and be happy, I need to move like a whirlwind from that very moment I open my eyes in the dark early morning. Wonderwoman, and Darna in one as I say. My daughters might not understand why I keep on pushing them to work perfectly, to move fast, and be very efficient…. life is too short to coop up in one’s comfort zone. As I keep on telling them, the “comfort zone” is surely a nice place  to stick around in, but where will that take you in the end? Remember that part of Percy Jackson when they got stuck in the casino having all the fun, but that was all they got until they realized their mission was not at all completed?

My daughter’s 13^th birthday fell on a Monday, I get home really late on Mondays due to my new work schedule so got to celebrate my daughters birthday a day earlier. …just a simple buffet with my best friend. Unfortunately, Tin’s birthday falls on the main event days of my city where always more than a million visitors pack up the establishments and streets so it is just so hard to walk around and have a decent lunch or dinner out.

On the 26^th, I dropped by Jollibee just to buy a chicken meal for them both. I get out of work at 8PM and got home almost around 9PM hugging the meals in a paper bag to keep them warm

The simple get together was just the weekend after, March 03. With my aunt having her birthday the day after, Tin celebrated her birthday in a pool resort. My family made the day great - full of stories, full of singing and swimming, full of jokes, full of laughter!

Simple food were dished out, no luxurious delicacies, modest enchalada, grilled fish and meat were served. Everyone enjoyed eating but just half of the food was consumed. Then everyone started to worry on how we are going to eat all.

Children never got out of the water until their eyes are already red. Many times their mommies changed their clothes just to find out they want to dip in again.

My princess keeps on running around with her cousins, laughing and joking together. They only get back to the cottage when they needed to eat and drink then ran back to the pools again.

She managed to stay awake in the trip going home, just rested a little bit and went to her room. I asked her for some errand and she replied a little bit later. And a minute right after, I already heard her snore.

Looking at her happy made me complete. All sacrifices and stress are all washed away seeing my daughter laughing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANAK! I LOVE YOU!

A FAMILY REUNION NOT TO REMEMBER BUT TO REMINISCE

December 2017, while enjoying the holiday seasons with our relatives, a great news broke out that there will be a grand reunion where the Quiniones clan, the Ronquillo families and Cabading clan will all meet together on the end of January. Preparations were made, food committees, program committees, travel buddies, what to do, what to eat, where to stay and so many things were planned. The first gen (that is, the oldies) scouted for a nice venue, reserved a nice spot at San Fabian beach and officially announced that the reunion will take place on the 27^th until the 28^th of February.

Quiniones delegates were asked to wear red on the event and Baguio members started the travel. With the clan in charge of carrying the food along, 2 vehicles were used, the pick up, carrying the food and some families, packed in together for the carpool and the SUV fully packed as well. The schedule of trip was set on the 26^th right after the students get home; a night earlier for the preparation of food for the whole multitude of people to be arriving.

We stayed at Grey Sands resort, located at the end point of the beach. The way to this resort is kind of strange for business as there is only two access roads to the area located on both ends straight to the highway and cars need to drive around 500m or more on the shore to reach the resort. The reserved place is a dormitory type room where 15 double mattresses are prepared. Each family took a mattress reserved for sleeping.

The SUV arrived at the destination almost around 8pm. Everyone feeling tired and hot especially hungry. As we unpack our things, the other vehicles arrived - the pick up also coming from Baguio city, the jeepney type van carrying the Cabading troop and two other vehicles, a car and an SUV from Manila. Everyone at the place, everyone catching up, everyone noisy and everyone hungry. Some boys started preparing dinner while the others welcomed Lolo Bart, the initiator of the event with drinks, most women, helped in food preparation and arranging the room. Our dinner … dinuguan! All ate, hungry and tired but not sleepy.

Papu looked for me and told me that I was asked to meet lolo Bart. We have already met a few years ago when we had a Skype conference. He was scouting for a residential plot in Baguio city where he intends to build his Baguio residence or have a boarding house for income. I kind of feel shy to meet him in person so when we came to see face to face, a hug is a more preferred greeting than mano for me. I get to say a few greetings and words then here comes another elderly man with antie Nila. My aunt, I still recognize well, and because of her I recognize Uncle Nitoy. I hugged my uncle and its pretty obvious from his face that he has got no idea on who I am. I asked him a couple of times to try to remember about a girl in Baguio city that he often visited before but all attempts failed. I gave up and told him "I am Sharon" and he was so surprised and so remembered everything.

I was not able to sleep well and although I went to bed at midnight, I was already up by 5:30. I excitedly started changing to my rashguard, shook my daughter with me to wake up and refreshing for the day. I would like to capture the sunrise! After a few pieces of pandesal and a cup of hot coffee, and after the kids are ready, we rushed to take some early morning pictures on the shore before I need to rush to the market to prepare for my games.

The day was pleasant, the sun was not out that Saturday, it was a very nice day to dip into the beach. Children and some relatives enjoyed the beach, strong waves near the shore but totally low tide experience. Before lunch, some bunch went boating routing to the mangrove. As a safety precaution we wore life vests and divided our group into two going to the two boats. We get to see mangrove and oyster farms but unluckily, we have to walk back home as our boats propeller dropped off the boat while on our trip back to the resort.

 

Red team with their Thank You Carol

After lunch, the program began, invocation given by Albert, welcome remarks by mamila and opening remarks by lolo Bart. A part where each family member should be introduced was also squeezed in the program because the big number makes us unable to recognize everyone especially those who were added to the family by marriage. Then games, games and more games where the couple empowered the laughter. When the laughing and the fun subsided, each family had their thank you carol to lolo Bart and in return he distributed tokens for each family. The program ended with our dinner and when everyone has packed up the Cabading family started t go on their way. Who were left on the evening were the Quiniones and Ronquillo.

Yellow team giving their thank you messages

Sunday morning was time to take group pictures on shore. Everyone wearing their rashguards walked straight to the beach and swam then left for the pool after a few hours. With the checkout scheduled at 12noon everyone get to the shower by 10:30 to prepare for the travel home.

 

After the sumptuous lunch, everyone bid goodbye to each other. Lunch ended around 11:30 but it took 30 minutes for everyone to say their goodbyes and take last minute pictures. It was so hard to part ways. We went out of the resort and headed to the parking and again took half an hour to talk about things and say goodbye.

I asked lolo Bart what he would do after his visit in the Philippines. He said he would get back to work as he was never really fond of the word “Retire”. He said he’ll get back to managing his real estate then continued saying “We will have another reunion, probably after 2-3 years. I will plan again and ask those from Hawaii to join us.” After that, he gave me a tight hug.

ATHENA'S TRIP TO LAGUNA

 We have been invited by my aunt to a trip to Laguna where my cousin, her son, resides with his family. A week before the schedule, everyone was basically preparing. My younger daughter, Athena, was very excited to go on the trip. Laguna has so many tourists destinations so we decide to make a poll on where the whole gang will visit. Choices were Enchanted Kingdom, Star City, and Splash Island. The winner at the poll was Splash Island!

The trip was set on early 23rd to make it for the house blessing. I know I would be able to finish my tasks on the 22nd. The week before that was the university examination and I needed to check papers and complete grades before I can officially say that my Christmas vacation will start.

However, a few days before driving out of my city, schedule has changed as there would be an international event in the capital and it was expected that this would create traffic. My aunt decided to have the trip earlier on the evening of 21st. There is nothing I can do. I need to finish my tasks because this is work. I have to cancel my slot. My elder daughter changed her mind and has sincerely stayed with me. My younger one was the one who went.

Thanks goodness, they reached the capital safe. They had their rest and started to tour around. The gang went to Fokoda and checked on the dancing fountain at night. Evening is the perfect time to go walking here. With the beautiful lights and the pleasant evening breeze, everyone enjoyed the night!

Although there are also malls in my city, it is a different feeling to walk to malls in another place. It is more on checking the view and making memories. As they wet to check Santa's toy store, they have pictures around toys - children and adults alike.

The main event, what the poll was for, was Splash Island! Everyone was set with their swimming gears although there is a distance to travel. Everyone excited, everyone turned to batwatch characters wearing their rash guards and diving on tubes each! Water slides are all over the place and all one needs to do is jump from the top and experience the splash. It was truly a splash like from its name. All the while, we had the right decision to go with Splash Island as the two other amusement parks were so jam-packed with tourists that most had spent more time queuing than enjoying the rides.


The tourist-packed van finally needs to get back to the city. They had to get home on the 27th, a day before the original schedule of going home. Everyone tired, everyone worn out, but everyone happy. It is pretty obvious with the smiles on their faces.