Toni Turns 5

Of the gazillion blogs in the blogosphere, the very…very first I ever followed was “Wifely Steps.” It was all, actually, by accident. I wasn’t really much into reading blogs when I came across an article about the “Philippine Blog Awards 2007.” Not knowing who was who among the winners, I decided to check out the links on the article. To be honest, most of the winners really got me interested but the one that really stood out was “Wifely Steps.”

Maybe because we shared some things in common…we’re both wives, we’re both young and cute…do you get my drift? Anyway, as soon as I started reading I was hooked. I remember the very first post I read was about old magazines and I even dared to make a comment. My very first comment on any blog. From there everything went uphill. I dared to start my own blog and wonder of wonders…Toni was also one of the very first bloggers to comment on my blog. I didn’t feel worthy but I was tickled pink.

And now Toni is celebrating her 5th year of blogging. To coincide with this is also her 5th year of marital bliss. A mean feat in my book. And because she is so…well…generous, she is holding a contest for her loyal fans. Woohoo!! That means..I get to join!! I’m a fan!! And I love contests!!

It’s so simple, you just have to say which of her articles you love the most. I had a bit of difficulty here considering I love too many. But just to narrow it down a bit…I choose all her “Weekend Soiree” articles because they’re fun and a lot of other bloggers get to interact with one another. And just to narrow it down even further…my favorite of all her “Weekend Soiree” articles would have to be this because some of my narcissistic tendencies were stroked (read : special mention).

So to Toni…HAPPY 5TH….and many, many more to come!! Cheers to you!!

Weekend Snapshot : Frustrated Sagala

During the month of May, the Philippines is host to several processions known as the Santacruzan. Also called the “Flores de Mayo” (flowers of May), the Santacruzan pays reverence to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

A Santacruzan procession is composed of several “sagalas” or princesses decked in gowns and escorted by their “consortes”. It is the wish of many mothers that their daughters be invited to be a “sagala” in their town’s yearly festivities. It is an honor that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. And if one gets to be invited, you are suddenly thrust into a world where very few can boast that they were once there.

Here in my husband’s hometown of Bacolor, Pampanga, the Santacruzan is a joyous event. Only the most beautiful are invited to be part of it. My husband was “consorte” to several “sagalas” in his youth.

Now it is his daughters’ turn. We received word that my eldest was to be invited to participate this year but, alas, she fell way below the age limit. The youngest “sagala” in these parts has to be at least 7 years old. She’s only 5 so we still have a 2 year wait until she gets to walk the walk.

San Guillermo Parish Church (Bacolor, Pampanga)

Prepping for the Santacruzan

Frustrated Sagala

Here are the other Weekenders.

The Crazies IV

Here are the latest of my kids’ antics, foibles, repartees, smarts, engots…whatever you want to call it.

One afternoon in the mall, the Hezzies were so hyper while I was shopping.

Mama : Will you please behave?!?

Hezzies : (Ignored me and continued to run around)

Mama : One last time, will you please sit and just relax a bit..I’m beginning to get mad na!

Gaby : Adi come here, let’s sit na lang. Follow what I’m doing. (sits in lotus and does a perfect meditation pose)

Gaby : AWOOOM…AWOOOM…

Adi : (does the same) AWOOOM….AWOOOM…

Mama : What are you doing?!?

Gaby : Yoga! Di ba you told us to relax muna…

While browsing around Toy Kingdom, Adi found a foam sword. Taking on a perfect “Jack Sparrow” stance…

Adi : ARRR..ARRR…MAYTEEESS…I AM A PIRATE!!

Salesgirl : Excuse me kuya..padaan po..

Adi : ARR…ARR..I’m not a boy!! Look…I don’t have a “bleep-bleep”!!

After dinner, Adi sits on the stairs and enjoys her after-dinner drink..

Yaya : Ay ang bait naman ng bata..umiinom mag-isa.

Adi : Hey…don’t call me bata..I am not a bata!!

Yaya : Eh, what will I call you na?

Adi : I am “Madame”!

While I was checking out some blouses in a tiangge stall in Greenhills, Gaby decided to follow me inside….

Salesgirl : Ay, ang cute mo naman! What’s your name?

Gaby : Gabrielle Beatriz de Guzman-Lugue.

Salesgirl : Wow!! Pa-hug nga, I miss my pamangkin na kasi eh..

Gaby : WOW!! You have a monkey in your house?!? Coolmungous!!

Salesgirl : Ito naman, pamangkin..hindi monkey.

Just before bedtime, we were all having a little bonding time….

Mama : Gaby, who do you look like?

Gaby : I look like Mama!! I’m your junior eh.

Papa : Adi is my junior. She looks like me.

Adi : No, I don’t want to look like you. I look like Mama!

Papa : No, you look like me eh..di ba Mama?

Adi : WAAAHHHH!! I don’t want to look like you!! You’re kalbo!!

After eating merienda, Gaby gets the bottle of Coke Zero and recognizes most of the letters written on it.

Gaby : Mama, can you teach me how to read this? (pointing at the word “zero”)

Mama : Ok. I’ll point to the letter and you make the sound.

Gaby : zzzz….eeee…..rrrr…..ooooo..

Mama : Good! Now all you have to do is put it together.

Mama : So, what does it say?

Gaby : COKE!!

Weekly Question #1

This is a brand new meme started by Julie. Every week she will post a question which, if you decide to answer, you can post on your own site.

For this week the question is..

If you are married would you know if your husband is reading your blog? If you are in a relationship, would you know if your partner is reading your blog?

And my answer is….I’m not really sure. My husband is not much of a blog reader. He usually goes online just to check his mail. He’s so not into it that when I sent him an invite to my Multiply site, I had to approve it myself. Now he checks it every so often…but only if I tell him to.

I guess he pretty much doesn’t think that he needs to read it since he hears it from me and the kids whenever possible.

So if you’d like to join the fun, just head on over to Julie’s site for the mechanics.

Litratong Pinoy : Tubig

Awan libég a di aglitnáw.

(Ilokano Proverb)

There is no muddy water that doesn’t clear.

Ang tubig na maputik ay maaring ihantulad sa ugali ng tao. Ang siya ring ugali ay maari din namang mabago..kung mamarapatin lamang.

Ang mga litrato ay kuha sa palaisdaan sa Bacolor, Pampanga. Namimingwit ng tilapia at hito ang mga anak ko. Sa awa ng Dios…wala kaming nakuha.

Narito ang mga ibang lumahok sa Litratong Pinoy para sa linggong ito.

Friends…And More Friends

My good friend Mary tagged me to do this friendship link..

So here goes..

~~Begin Copy~~
This is the easy way and the fastest way to :
1. Make your Authority Technorati explode.
2. Increase your Google Page Rank.
3. Get more traffic to your blog.
4. Make more new friends.

Rules :
1. Start copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy” to your blog.
2. Put your own blog name and link.
3. Tag your friends as much as you can.

1. Picturing of Life
2. Juliana’s Site
3. Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future.
4. Jeanne-The Callalily Space
5. Starz in De Sky
6. My Charmed Life
7. Denz Techtronics
8. Denz Recreational
9. Life’s Simple Pleasures
10. My Blog
11. Because Life is Fun
12. In This Game of Life
13. Scribbles of my Life
14. Changing Lanes
15. This is what my heart says…
16. A mom’s note
17. Tasteful Voyage
18. Twerlyn’s Blog
19. Avee’s Adventures
20. Never Ending Stories
21. Air Sick
22. GreyMom
23. Scroochchronicles

~~End Copy~~

I am tagging Analyse, Bang, Julie, and Mitch.

Bloggerwave

When I started my blog , I did it because I needed an outlet for my thoughts and ideas. Sort of like a journal. Later on, I found other individuals with similar ideas and similar interests.

My simple “journal” writing had evolved into something of a more global scale. The bloggers I interacted with were from countries and places I could only dream of visiting. From them I learned that it was possible to make money through blogging.

I did some research and found Bloggerwave. They happen to be Europe’s biggest advertising media on blogs and I definitely want to be a part of their group.

So I signed up, got accepted, and now I’ll be blogging and I’ll be making some money too.

Weekend Snapshot : Macopa

Yesterday (Sunday), we went home to my husband’s hometown to visit his uncle’s farm. The place was planted with a large variety of fruit trees all laden with fruit ready for the picking. My kids fancied the large red macopa fruits (wax apple) that were hanging low enough to be picked easily. Many of the fruits had already fallen to the ground due to the howler that swept through the province the day before. Still, many fruits held on…probably waiting for the kids to enjoy them.

To see all the other Weekenders, please visit them here…

5 Things I Want My Kids To Know Before They Grow Up

I’ve been very delayed in answering some of the tags and memes that have been sent to me in the last few months. My fault, entirely.

It’s a good thing that I bookmarked the pages of those tags so I was able to go back to them in the last few days. I will definitely get to them as soon as possible.

First on my list is this wonderful tag sent to me by my friend Bang.

As a parent, there are so many things that we want to impart to our kids to make sure that they grow up to be good people. Of the many things, here are the top 5 on my list..

1. Respect is not a gift, it is earned.
2. Money does not buy happiness.
3. Education is the key to their future.
4. Goals can be achieved through hard work.
5. The family is the one constant thing they can always rely on.

I’m tagging Raqgold, Feng, and Wenchie.

Litratong Pinoy : Umaapoy

Ayon sa Wikipedia, ang apoy ay isang reaksyong kimikal na kinasasangkutan ng dalawa o higit pa sa dalawang kimikal kung saan handang magkaroon ng reaksyon ang mga molekula sa bawat isa upang makabuo ng karadagang mga kimikal.

Katulad nitong una kong litrato. Ang ginamit ng “chef” ay keso, brandy, at posporo. Ayon, lumiyab.

Sa akin naman, may iba ring kahulugan ang “apoy.” Maaring gamitin ang “apoy” sa paglarawan ng mga damdamin. Katulad halimbawa ng mga umiibig. Dahil sa nag-uumapaw na pagmamahal, umaapoy ang damdamin ng mga nagmamahalan.

Maari ding gamitin ang “apoy” para ilarawan ang galit o poot.

Dyan magaling ang bunso kong anak na si Adi. Ewan ko ba kung bakit napakasungit ng batang iyan. Ang sabi ng mga biyenan ko, nagmana daw sa ama. Siguro nga.

Ito ang aking lahok sa linggong ito para sa Litratong Pinoy. Kung gusto nyong makita ang ibang mga isinali para sa temang “Umaapoy”….maari lamang na pumunta dito.