Hong Kong Adventures 2012

As I bid 2012 goodbye, I can't help but reminisce the blessings that God has blessed me with... It is really true that God is good and that when He allows it to rain, it will definitely pour.

Talking about blessings, I could not imagine how it was possible for us to visit Hong Kong twice in one year!!! But, it is not just about visiting HongKong because Elle Marie and I have been there before.  It is the thought of spending time with my dearest Bien Mary, sister Bebe and father on their first international trip!

First visit was in May, in time for my 36th birthday celebration. I wanted something different to spend time with my two girls.  Since, Bien and Tita Bebe haven't been to Disneyland before... we decided to go to HongKong!

Five is Hi! With Sleeping Beauty and Prince Philip

At the entrance of Disneyland

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I was overwhelmed by my girls reaction when they saw their favorite Disney pricesses! Sleeping Beauty is Elle's favorite so it was a priced possession that finally, we were able to have a photo with her!!! Bonus si Prince Philip and Rapunzel (who soon became Elle's favorite).

Just like our 2008 visit, it rained.  I should have learned my lesson but the show must go on and we watched the Disney parade while singing in the rain! Bien and Elle were soaking wet but I could not stop Bien from screaming "Mickey Mouse" as he passed by the area where we were standing! She even tried to follow him! The magic of Mickey!

 The 3 days/ 2 nights stay was really designed to visit Disneyland and nothing else. It just so happened that we were blessed with a hotel, Royal Grand Hotel, that has an excellent sauna and swimming pool perfect for us girls! Hence, after visiting Disney we just stayed in the hotel doing nothing but eat and swim!

The second HongKong was in October in time for my girls and Noy's triple birthday celebration.  This time, we had my father with us. This trip was very overwhelming to me because I have dreamed of bringing both my parents abroad and spending time with my father in HongKong was definitely a realization of that dream (half-next year kasama na si Mama!!!)

My father is not the "showy and expressive" type. When asked if he wanted to go with us to Hong Kong, he just replied "Ok".  When asked if he is having a great time, he just responded "This trip must be very costly". When asked if he wants to do it again but this time in Singapore, he was quick to reply "Let's check my schedule (to think that he is retiring next year and will have a relatively freer schedule!".

Last minute, my father almost backed out of the trip because the national branch of his office was not able to release his "approval to travel abroad". (Something that I find weird because the trip was not even official and no cent was spent by the government for the trip! In fact, we even paid travel tax which goes to the government... but, I guess that is how it is to be a civil servant specifically, a civil defense servant) But, of course I protested and told him that if he backs-out, "Magtatampo ako!" and I will forever remind him of how he crushed not only my heart but my daughters' hearts because we have been preparing for the trip with him! Of course, he conceded.

Despite my father's reactions, I know deep inside that my father had a great time with me and my kids and that he knows how much I love him.  At the end of the day, those are the things that are important to me.

We love you Lolo Leo!!!

From one student to another... A special note to my students.

This was republished from a Facebook note dated December 25, 2012 with slight modifications.

This year's Christmas is very different to me. It was the first time that my Facebook account was flooded by greetings not just from friends and families but well wishes and kind words from my students...

Yes, almost two years of part-time and now, full-time teaching but this is the only time that I received personal messages as well as posts in my Facebook timeline from my students! Maybe because it is the first time for me to open up (yes!) my Facebook account to my students. Or maybe the courses that I have been teaching provided me an avenue to open up more to my students, engage them more to discussion where at times I cannot help but share my personal experiences...Or maybe it is the "mother" in me that makes me connect well with my students... Or maybe,for  the past two terms I was blessed with very good, cool, noisy at times but performing students. Whatever reason it may be, my heart is still overwhelmed up to now... Makes me remember my dear teacher, mentor, thesis adviser, boss, godmother, "almost" mom, colleague and close friend Ninang Telly.

If Mitch Albom would ask me, who are the five persons you will meet in heaven... I will respond without a blink of an eye that one would be my Ninang Telly. My Ninang Telly because she is one of the few persons that has really made an impact in my life. In my almost twenty two years (I first had her as my undergrad professor in 1994) of knowing her, she has touched me in ways that has made me a better person.

I am just glad that even before Ninang Telly left, I was able to tell her how much I loved her. I remember one text message I sent to her while she was in the ICU and I was home because my BP shoot up after learning what was happening to her. I told her that I love her like my own mother.  She may not be blessed with a daughter or a son but I know based on how she loved me that she was a good mother. I miss Ninang Telly. My daughter Elle Marie would always ask me to visit her Lola Telly. That's how much she is loved by my family...

It is ironic that just when Ninang Telly is no longer in DLSU that I went full-time with teaching. Now that I am with the Political Science Department, I was given an excuse not to frequently visit the mezzanine of the Economics Department (except of course to visit Marvin and Leslie. But, I want to clear that I love Eco Dept). But, I have no excuse to further my studies. I never thought I am an academician but I know that just as her father inspired her, Ninang Telly will not only inspire me but help me from heaven.

Being a teacher is a blessing from God. I get to meet students to love and who appreciates your efforts in changing their lives for the better... To my well wishers, thank you for touching my life... I hope that I have contributed something positive in your lives just like how my Ninang Telly touched my life.

To my Ninang Telly, you are still remembered...

The morning after... better luck next time Santa!

This is a follow up of my entry dated November 23, 2012 entitled "Elle Marie meets Santa" where Elle Marie told Santa her christmas wish... This was also republished from my Facebook entry dated December 25, 2012

This photo was taken the morning after while watching Barbie Princess Pop Star. Both girls are holding their respective Princess Tory and Kerra Barbies from Santa Claus! Heard from Elle when Mama called her to go down on Xmas eve...

Mama: Elle! Elle! Santa passed by! Look at what he gave you!!!
Elle: Mama, where is Santa? How come he left early? I want to say thank you!
Mama: Anak, Santa has to visit Sean because he is also going to give him a gift. He's also a good boy like you... and then he's going to visit other good kids! You don't want him to be late right?

Hugging and opening her gift...
Elle: Wow! Princess Tory!!! Can I open Bien's
Mama: No, let her open it tom!
Elle: BUT, I want to borrow the pink guitar of her Kerra!

Oooopppps!!! Santa! Next time be discrete naman when buying my girls their xmas gifts!!!

PROJECT RUNWAY: Christmas Alphabet Presentation

I am a self-confessed frustrated fashion designer.  If I am certain that I have the artist in me, I would have exchanged my academe and development work just to be a kiddie fashion designer. I have dreamed of having my own "Rajito" line and have my daughters do the cat walk with them.

That is why every opportunity to design or make a dress for my daughters, I really grab it. When I got a note from Elle's school that she will play as one of the Christmas Alphabets dancers and they are to wear something red the first thing that came into my mind is to recycle Elle's old costumes.

I first thought of her "spaghetti" costume but it was too small for her already! Until, I saw her "The Nutcracker" costume and thought of making it red by attaching red laces. Whoala! This is what I got from a P100 worth red lace from Divisoria!

I am one proud Mom when I saw Elle on the stage because she really stood out from the crowd on her red tutu (sad to say, there are Moms who are either too busy to read the note and follow it or they just don't care how their daughters would look like on stage) since the instruction was dress as a dancer (and the only dancer I could think of for christmas are ballerinas!) I overheard a couple of parents commenting that she looked very beautiful (they didn't know she's my daughter).

At the end of the day, it is not really about the savings but the amount of time, effort and love that I putted on making my daughter feel good in everything that she does. I love you Elle!!!

Elle Marie Ballerina: The Nutcracker

This year, Elle played the role of one of the columbines in Ballet Philippines and CCP Dance School's "The Nutcracker". Unlike last year, this year was a 2-day presentation from December 8 to 9 in Tanghalan Nicanor Abelardo, Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Initially, Teacher Gabbie said "columbines" and they will be wearing white and pink. So, I researched and discovered that columbines are small purple flowers... But when I finally saw her costume and her dance moves, she seems like a "Columbian" rather than a flower! hahahahaha! It really doesn't matter to me that she be a "Columbian" or "Columbine". What is important is that my daughter looked elegant and beautiful on her costume! Baby Ballet A sported a white tutu with red bows and laces. On their hairs, they were wearing red bow with crystals. Looks like her pink "cat" costume in "Sleeping Beauty" but again, who cares...

We would like to thank Lola Marlyn, Tita Nene, Tita Leonor, Tita Janee, Ninong Lingling and Wyona (not in the photos) for making Elle Marie's performance extra special!

We are sooo proud of you anak! We love you our very own Ballerina!