It’s another Sunday, and as usual, we went to my parents’ house. And again, I forgot to bring the Dan Brown book that I’ve been meaning to lend my dad. Oh yeah, the Last Symbol, I think. I’ve never read it. But since it’s of the same genre with Da Vinci code and “angels and demons” (which I both have read, by the way) so I’m pretty sure my dad would enjoy reading it.

What I didn’t forget is to bring all photos from our SD cards of all the dinners, birthdays, anniversaries and what-have-you’s for the past 5 years. It’s not that I haven’t given them these yet, I did give them a copy once like two years ago hahaha, but their PC had been reformatted for I could no longer count.

Alas, when I got home, I realized I was tagged by my brother to a photo of me pregnant with now-4-year-old daughter. Geez, I was fat… and I looked very much like how I look nowadays. Eeeew!

Now that mother’s day has passed. It’s time to think of father’s day presents! Hahaha. Too early? I say not so.

After thinking for gifts on my father’s birthday and for Christmas every year, I think I’ve ran out of ideas. Well, he is a collector of chess sets, clocks, umbrellas and Rubik’s cube. His current addiction is the Sudoku but he has this digital Sudoku now. Oh, a book maybe? :p

Besides, I need to think of something to get for my husband too.

But aren’t we girls just too happy that guys are so easy to please?

Aaw, the Disney movie themed get-together party we’ve been planning will be simplified. Good that it won’t be postponed but the theme was lifted. Since a relative is sick, and while her NC health insurance has been very helpful, it was decided that having a grand party will be inconsiderate of her situation.

The theme would have been costly. We will just go as we are, just like our previous reunions. Well, I’ll miss that supposed photo opp, but it’s fine. I’ll get to take shots of the smiles and hugs shared among relatives. That’s what matters.

We went to Duty Free yesterday. There was ongoing promo where a dollar exchanges to 41 pesos only! But to my dismay, there was only one color and one size of the Long Champ folding bag that I am still contemplating on buying. And the color and size wasn’t even among my preferred ones.

The husband looked for safety products while I tried checking some more other bags. Good thing I didn’t buy any as the husband didn’t tell me he bought me an Esprit bag that was still in his luggage.

Our daughter was contented with her Disney princesses Smarties that she picked up herself. And the daddy can’t just say no.

Having gone to Hong Kong last month, I became the unofficial tour guide of the family during our trip this month. I wasn’t complaining. I loved that I had an important role in the family vacation. I just made sure it would not be stressful for me as I have a toddler with us, which was why I decided to hold the digicam and let the husband hold the SLR.

Plus, I did not have any target shots. I did not plan on taking advantages of the so many photo opportunities. I guess this is the reason why in case we’re going back there in the future, I’d want it to be Halloween too. So that I can take pictures of the night parade, and with Jack and Sally Skellington as I have originally hoped for.

Anyway, I had the chance to hold the SLR during the fireworks. By then, my daughter stayed with my parents-in-law, sat away from the castle.

I loved that I was able to catch this rather eerie snapshot of the Disney castle and fireworks.

Hmm, maybe, we could use this as cover of Halloween party invitations? Spooky!

Speaking of spooky, I am on waiting list in our company trick or treat event. Looks like BG will just have to make her rounds in Trinoma.

I tried the Space Mountain last September, and told hubby how my sister and I had fun doing so. I am not much of a wild ride fan, so hubby thought this is just a so-so ride.

We saw the ongoing Halloween parade, BUT I didn’t want my in-laws to miss the chance to try the ride so I insisted they ride while no one is on queue, because all the people are busy watching the parade.

DD: Parang sine lang po ito. (This is just like a movie house.)
Papa: (upon seeing the tracks) Patay! Hindi ito sine lang. (Oh no! This isn’t just a movie.)

My brothers-in-law were expecting some monsters to come out from the sides. Sorry, this isn’t a horror ride.

One sister-in-law, my daughter and I were left outside to wait. I was worried my in laws would have some sort of heart attack.

When they got out, they were laughing hysterically. THEY HAD FUN! Just look at the photo.

We had so much fun during our family vacation that we are now starting to plan possible future vacation for the family. I’ve been looking for affordable Myrtle beach vacation rentals. And, I’m contemplating if we should buy another lens and/or a digicam.

Sunday night, we had dinner with my parents and siblings at Adarna Food and Culture located along Kalayaan Avenue in Quezon City.

Great: Ambience is very good. It’s like eating at your grandmother’s house in the province, very cozy just like home. I also liked the furniture and decors. I’d say it is a very interesting place for photography enthusiasts.

Good: I liked their rellenong bangus paired with pickled ampalaya. Felicidad was good too according to my siblings who tried it.

Bad: I don’t know if it’s just Sunday but I felt that they were short-staffed. I had to follow up on our iced teas twice. And maybe I was full from a previous party that I didn’t like their seafood special.

Can you guess what this is?

Anyway, my dad shared his Cagayan de Oro (versus his Davao) escapades while my mom shared that my aunt was bugging her, asking if I know any used rv for sale. Also, it was a good decision I didn’t wear my skirt which was the same with the skirt that I gave my sister because she’s wearing it tonight. My brother has a new tattoo with “arkitekto” on it. While the other brother reminded me of their band’s pictorial.

I thought I took many pictures but when I got home I realized I took less than twenty shots. And not any one of them included me or my husband.

My husband just told me it’s possible (but not 100% sure yet) that he could come with the entire family to Hongkong for our vacation this October. Their departure date has been moved a week later. I was so happy hearing it and got motivated again to self-study photography to “cover” our trip.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed, well, that he’d be able to join… and that I’d be able to capture the moments.

My husband’s cousin, uncle and I were talking about camera gears. The cousin is actually scouting for a second-hand Nikon. He would like to learn wedding photography and be a professional photographer. This is to tie up with his wife’s sideline as an events coordinator.

The uncle suggested he could lend some of his lighting equipment (huge reflectors boards among them) he used for his studio setup. Only, they need to transport them from Bataan to Manila. I suggested a company, expert in moving boxes. And I also suggested to the cousin, he could have me as his backup photographer on those weddings.

This weekend is so unpredictable. Hahaha.

First, husband and his team mates will have an outing. Husband says if they will stay overnight, he can’t bring me and BG along. But if it is just a day trip, my daughter and I could come. So there, that’s one possibility.

Second, if it is indeed an overnight thing, BG and I will attend a swimming party instead. It is a birthday celebration of her cousin, a daughter of hubby’s cousin. Although we’re not sure how we will get there.

Third, a mexican night with friends. This one I think BG and I will surely attend. Unless my daughter gets too tired from swimming or from being out with daddy and mommy the whole day (possibilities 1 & 2)

I sure hope even just one of these three gets realized.

Last Saturday, husband was too tired to drive all the way back to the city after their basketball game. So we decided to stay for the night. The next day, I woke up early and started thinking about the family brunch.

I thought of Sonya’s but then, hubby eats veggies but will always want meat to go with it. Plus our daughter isn’t so much of a veggie eater too. And so we went to Bag of beans. Nice a bad second choice, though.

Sharing:

Photos of breakfast foods are both out of focus because I was too hungry not to dive in.

As you know, we went to Tagaytay Highlands last Saturday. After going to the Animal Farm, we went to the sports plaza for the daddies’ basketball game.

Yes, I’ll admit, and I’m sure you knew, that I was sweating profusely inside the court. I kept going back and forth the powder room because I can’t decide whether to take off the blouse and just go with the sando or not.

Same reason why my daughter kept going back to the (air-conditioned) Wii room instead of cheering for her dad, she can’t bear the heat.

Sharing some photos:

Daddies playing catch, oops, I meant, basketball.

My daughter busy eating.

That’s me on the background trying to get in the frame/picture. Hahaha.

The beautiful mommy bloggers/photographers.

I know I promised lots of photos but like I said I was sweating and felt sticky the whole time so I can’t take pictures as much as I planned to, can’t even fully take care of BG. Sigh.

Oh well. Charged to experience.

Last weekend, my brother/sisters-in law planned on going to the nearest university just to eat, well, street foods. They asked us if we wanted to join. But of course!

It was an hour before sunset and when we got there, I realized that I should have brought our camera. The bermuda grass behind the fishballs and dirty ice cream stands were perfect backdrop for my little daughter and other kids. Sigh. I missed a simple yet nice photo opportunity.

Anyway, I did enjoy eating with both hands (sans the heavy camera), I think I’ve eaten too much, I worry it might trigger my acne again. After eating fishballs and dirty ice cream, we were craving for quail eggs while my daughter kept asking for hotdogs. So we drove around to look for other food stalls. And yes we found one.

Then, we decided we want to show BG the fountain at the Techno Hub. Tsk, tsk, she was so afraid of it. So we played and bid our time at the Time Zone, instead, where hubby was able to snag two (super) small plush toys for BG. Only then that BG stopped whining.

Hmm, we actually ate fries from KFC and chicken/beef cielo kebab from Mr. Kebab before the night ended.

Geez, no wonder I kept gaining weight.

This was what our Bohol day tour comprised of. Since it’s summer, it was hot. I strongly advise to wear comfortable clothes (I wore sleeveless blouse and shorts) and shoes/sandals/flipflops.

1. Blood compact – fortunately, there was a japanese couple with a tour guide when we arrived. We were eavesdropping on the history being shared by the tour guide. I forgot it anyway.

2. Baclayon Church – if you like old churches, this one’s for you. I love it. Plus a little “art” here:

There’s a museum but we opted not to check it.

3. Chocolate hills – don’t expect brown little hills like I did. hehehe. They are greenish.

4. Butterfly garden – this one’s really nice! the tour guide tells you of the butterfly life cycle, and types of butterflies among others. they’d let you hold of the butterflies (but they will die after you held them, we were told). BG fell in love with the place instantly coz she loves butterflies. If I visit Bohol again, I won’t mind visiting this place again.

5. Hanging bridge – I didn’t cross it. I was too afraid to cross it. Hubby was supposed to cross it while carrying BG who was sleeping at that time. I backed out after 5 steps and told hubby that BG and I will just wait inside the van.

6. Loboc lunch / floating resto – This is a buffet lunch at P250. Too pricey don’t you think? There was no need to pay for BG though.

7. Tarsier – again, don’t expect to enter a forest to find the tarsiers like I did. They are residing on trees that are inside a souvenir store.

8. Bohol Python / mini-zoo – hmmm, I disliked it mainly because there’s someone there who performed and made the place look like a carnival.

9. Hinagdan Cave – BG stayed with her godmother outside while hubby and I checked the cave. It was my first time to enter a cave so I found it so cool!!! I wanted to get a rock there to keep as a souvenir. I was thinking I could polish it with rock tumblers. Then I changed my mind. As they say, take nothing but pictures.

There were birds flying at the top part which I first thought were bats. But the tour guide, who’s good in camera settings by the way, told us that they are birds. Well, I didn’t like the smell of the water. And we had to step on the water (up to ankle only) to go to the other part of the cave. But overall, I like the cave.