summer then & now

 " how i spent  my summer vacation"...i remember this  is the theme paper topic of my English teacher whenever we go back to school.

There is a glow in my eyes as i reminisce those magical moments of  summer vacation at my grandmother's house. the long days of nothing- to- do yet become filled with so much, whether it was a simple play with my friends ..

.....or eating banana cue or binatog by a vendor who passes by the road every afternoon or a neighbors backyard tree filled with fruits like star apple, siniguelas & mangoes. i can even climb the  trees which makes munching much more enjoyable.

i grew up in the 70's   in a rural area with my grandmother and was  allowed   a great deal of freedom so i get to enjoy playing all day in the neighborhood until the sun started setting  and its time for dinner.

life was simplier then and it was one  of the unforgettable moments in my life.   A play in the sun sure could make my day. i like the patintero, hide and seek, piko , moro moro and tumbang preso. i even play without slippers and enjoy every minute of it. 

during my time, summer would mean swimming at the water irrigation in the middle of the ricefield.  i brought my kids and nieces to that area for them to experience what we had before. and they sure had fun!

while my kids get to travel more than i did when i was their age , i could not forget our yearly pilgrimage to Our Lady of Antipolo during the month of May. It is capped by a  packed lunch of our favorite meal  "adobo" , sumang antipolo and cashew nuts at Hinulugang taktak . There was no Jollibee nor McDonalds  during those times.

i am now in my forties and still fondly recall  those tireless days  of summer.
Although family life  and career seem to have gotten my way i still look forward on summer seasons.

Though my kids enjoy basking in the sun, I just now enjoy the sceneries that summer offers  .
 I especially like the April shower tree because  Im amazed that they only bloom during summer and
 I like their bright sunny yellow color.

I let my  kids  enjoy their summer vacation

whether indoor...

or outdoor...

 or inside the mall...(so i can enjoy shopping).

  We all enjoy tall glasses of halo halo everyday.

 They liked swimming a lot..day & night.

While my kids are enjoying hanging out with their cousins,
                                                                                                                                                                                  

I enjoy bonding times with my siblings and mother on dinners at our old house  .










Life really has its reason  as summer is one of the seasons.  We  all go through phases in life and nothing could compare the warmth that summer brings.

birthday & anniversary run!!!

may 14, 2011

tomorrow will be the 45th birthday of my husband..ricky.
the following day will be our 14th year wedding anniversary.

may 16, 1997

imagine, how time flies! i feel  nostalgic today.

i met him during our residency training at fabella hospital. i was smitten by his
"boy next door good looks"  and being a doctor is a plus factor.

then we got married.


and we were blessed with three children.
we've been partners...at work &

at play...

our families knew how we weathered the storms of our marriage.  but who said that  all marriages are supposed to be made in heaven.

above everything  we have shared in the past 14  years, i especially like the part that he makes me smile everyday.

though serious at times, there is no dull moment with him.

even my kids love his sense of humor.

i feel so thankful that he has been blessed with good health & career  all these years.

for the colorful 14 years being with you...cheers!!!

for the next years of our lives...yes.

by the way, i dedicate my 10k run to you tomorrow.

cruisers

It was a different vacation for us because this time we went on an Asian cruise aboard the Star  Virgo from the Port of Singapore.

                                                              rooftop of star virgo

                                                                                    lobby of the ship


On our first stop we went to Penang, Malaysia . We visited buddhist temples while the kids enjoyed the toy museum.

On our second stop over we went to Phuket, Thailand. In 2004 their famous beach "Patong" was hit hardest by a tsunami. Several years later, no trace of disaster can be found. So many tourists abound the area. It's like boracay .

                                                                      taste of phuket

Patong beach

                                                                   Liked the message?

Rico and Nica were so daring that they did bungy jumping for the first time. It was a free fall  50 meters high! I was so nervous but being young was an advantage because they were so brave.

                                                                               Rico

                                                                            nica

i really enjoyed running at the ship deck which had a running area of 275 meters at the rooftop and a gym . it felt so good running on the treadmill with a serene view of the sea.

rj enjoyed his day at the sun swimming till the last minute.  he even won a medal for swimming contest .

                                                

ricky my husband really like the topless show we watched after the gala night.

there was no dull moment during the cruise.  ...had lots of family  fun filled activities all throughout.

                                                                         gala night

                                            

                                                                       eye candy





this trip is surely different from my previous trips abroad as i did not worry about excess baggage because i did not shop till i drop but i actually liked it.

                                                

it was more of getting closer with my kids and doing things all together which will make a lifetime of memories.

my kids will only be young once so i want them to have happy memories of their childhood.

vacation mode

the whole family is excited once again for a week long vacation.
this time we decided to try on an asian cruise trip which will dock us thru the coasts of singapore, malaysia and thailand .

for us mom and dad, it's time to relax and unwind after months of 'bloody'  ob gyn chores at the hospital, away from stress of work , no night referrals for emergencies !

for my kids, its such a relief  waking up early in the morning to go to school, big break for endless assignments, homeworks and gruelling memorizations

its bonding time again for the whole family minus the responsibilities of everyday life. this is something i look forward to every summer.  to reward myself, my husband and my kids a "we time" to catch up on each other.

my kids are growing up very fast. rico is now 13.
nica will be high school this coming school year
and rj, my youngest is 10  got a crush already!

before we left we had a pact that whoever travels light gets an award...mommy got the award because i brought with me just a plastic card...my credit card :D
happy sightseeing for my hubby and kids and hello shopping for me!!!