Endless Summer.

One of our favorite places to hang out in Dumaguete is a quaint hotel named Florentina. It is just a small place with a diner, an ice cream shop, rooms you can rent, a pool . . . but it is so cozy and beautiful. The owner's wife is an artist and she painted the wall murals herself and I guess she also decorated the whole place because it is surrounded with color and quaint decor :).

We love to drop by their ice cream shop for a scoop or two of our favorites. Uno and I love their Caramello and Hubby and my Mom loves their Pistachio :).

Then we hang out for a while to play some games. I love it that they have different board games lying around :)!

If ever you find yourself in Dumaguete, drop by this place too :). Day or night, we love to hang out here, as you can see :).

Oh we really did!

They are all beach babies, Uno and his cousins. And if we could, everyday, we would be at the beach. After lunch, we would pack up the car excitedly with our essentials: swimsuits, sunblock, beach toys, life vests. Then we would pass by the grocery store before finally heading to the beach house to get some snacks, drinks, bread and ice cream. 

Beach Babies - Micolle (aka Colley Flower), Uno (aka Uno Bruno) and Kelly (aka Kelly Belly Jelly) :).

Our favorite spot at Bacong Beach.

They would park their beach sandals and off they go!

We swim, we run, we play, we eat until twilight. And still, they are not tired. They don't want to stop. And we let them be until the moon shows up in the sky. I understand how it feels to be so free and happy here. Many, many, many years ago, I played in this exact beach spot as a little girl, summer after summer, and I feel so blessed and happy to be able to share this now, with my husband and my child.

And we tell them not to worry because there is still tomorrow, we will come back to the beach again. And we do. Again and again :).

Thank you Jesus, for the gift of new life.

Simple joys.

It was one of those beautiful simple summer afternoons that we had yesterday.

In the afternoon, Uno enjoyed the endless green grass and giant umbrella acacia trees in one of Silliman University's open grounds. He played soccer, frisbee and just run and run and run. This is what I miss when we are in Manila, and so, I wanted him to enjoy just running in big open spaces :).

Then we had coffee, coolers and cupcakes :).

Then we go home for some "cousin time" and for ice pops that they seem to cannot get enough of :)!

We are enjoying and relishing every bit of family time, cousins time, ice-pops time, running and playing time. I wish you all the best of Summer too :). Thank you Lord for these simple joys.

And SUMMER has officially begun!

Yippeee! It is officially summer! As soon as classes ended for Uno last Friday, we hopped on the plane  on Sunday (no time to waste now :)!) and headed for our summer place, Dumaguete City.

We have landed! Ahhhhh ... home sweet home. Summer here we come :)!

Familiar sights. I took this photo of the Silliman University Church while I was attending my niece's Moving-Up Ceremony. Brought me back so many happy memories of my elementary and high school days. Oh, it is so good to be home.

This School Bus! Oh, if only he could talk, he sure has so many stories to tell! This School Bus has been my school bus ever since my Elementary days! And now, my son is standing in front of it! So surreal! He used to be a sunshiney yellow and now he is a regal white. What can I say, he still sure is standing mighty and proud! 

Our tree. This tree always welcomes me as soon as I enter the gates of my house. He has been around longer than I have been, meaning he is older than me! My mom has fought for this tree, when the electricity people wanted to cut him off :). And he has shared his fruits with us oh so generously! I believe he is a bit of a rare tree now - he is a Mabolo Tree. His fruits are beautiful bright orange orbs and their peelings feel like velvet! Have you tasted a Mabolo?

Wishing you all the joys and happy memories a Summer brings!!!

Milestone.

It was a beautiful, sunny day last March 16, 2012. And it was Uno's special milestone day. He was graduating and doing the "Speech". I was giddy with happiness and at the same time, I had butterflies in my stomach. Uno and I practiced his Graduation Speech day by day for a week because he had to memorize it. And as usual, he was such a cooperative boy and he was able to memorize four short paragraphs in a day :)!

Uno had special guests that day. We were so happy that his Lolo and Lola were able to join us. Uno was so excited to see his Lola and Lola there!

We had a Thanksgiving Mass first. After the mass, the children were given their diploma and a very precious medal bearing the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that the Sisters got from Rome. It was a very simple ceremony, but nevertheless beautiful and emotional.

Then finally, Uno had to do his speech! My heart was pounding so hard! But I was beaming too while I was listening to him :). I was so proud and happy for him to be given the opportunity to speak and share. And yes, he did everything so perfectly! 

Dear little son, we are so proud of you and we love you so much! We are delighted to know that our joy so far is just the tip of the iceberg. It is a blessing for your Papa and me to bear witness to your unfolding destiny. Through it all, we will be here, holding your hand, guiding you toward the door to adventure and big dreams. Fly high, our dearest boy!

Full Circle.

Days have been quite full this week. But I say that it is a good busy one. Uno and I have been busy too, practicing his lines for their school's final Musical Play before the school year ends. He is such a good boy not giving me a hard time at all whenever I call him to practice. He is the Narrator, you see, and so I told him that it is a very special part because he plays the storyteller and will be the one unfolding the plots of the story to the audience :).

I have been feeling both very happy and sad at the same time too these past days when March started to roll in. Bittersweet emotions, I shall say. It is because Uno is reaching another Milestone in his life. He is graduating from his present school, Santa Rafaela Maria School, and moving on to the Ateneo. I am so happy and excited for him. For the new friends he will have, for the friendships he will still be able to keep (most of his boy classmates will also be going to Ateneo), more challenges, more memories, the start of something new. It will be a new second home for him, and oh yes, I pray hard everyday that this school will be able to help my hubby and me nurture him, make him grow and bloom to be the person that God has meant him to be :). And yet, I am sad too. Because time does fly and he is growing up so fast.

I am so proud of the person that he has become right now. My heart is overflowing and I am so thankful everyday to the Lord to have blessed me with this sweet little boy of mine. To top it all off, like icing on the cake, this morning as I was kissing him goodbye before he goes inside his classroom, the Principal of his school called me and said that she and Uno's teacher wanted to speak with me. I was really wondering why and my heart was pounding. And then, what they told me made my heart swell so big it wanted to burst :)! They told me that they have chosen Uno to give the Graduation Speech for the graduating class :)! Oh I feel that it is such an honor for Uno and for us, his parents. I had to stop my tears from falling, and before I ran to the school's chapel to pray, I had to call my hubby. I woke him up to tell him the news because I feel that it is one of the best gifts Uno can give his Papa who works so hard for him and who tries his very best to give him anything (as long as he can afford it), and who loves him so unconditionally. 

He has grown so beautifully and I cannot ask for anything more. Every single day, when I look at him, I am reminded of how blessed I am.

And to our dearest little boy, you bring us so much joy. Thank you for everything that you are. We are so proud of you. We love you very, very, very much.