Today…
I will face the world with goals set for this day,
but they will be attainable ones,
not the vague, impossible variety declared by those who make a career of failure.
I realize that you always try me with a little, first,
to see what I would do with a lot.
ALiya’s profile by the bay, 2011
Today Series: 15/22
The traveling feet update…
I have recently updated my flickr account for my “traveling feet”… I have already posted 60+ but I still have more in my photo folders waiting to be posted, I know I can reach 101 photos… and these are the good ones (for me). I actually get tempted to post more than one picture per specific place, as there are so many stories that trigger by just showing those pavements or background. I actually became innovative, and sometimes do “somersault” on the grass, sidewalk or the soil just to capture the view. I wish I could someday blog each of these feet…
Here are the samples…
Bantay Bell Tower, Vigan, Ilocos Sur
Calle Burgos, Vigan, Ilocos Sur
Coron Palawan
Sentosa Singapore
Pasacao Beach, Bicol (with ALiya)
Letter to Aliya when she was 7 months old… in my tummy…
Written in Boracay, April 2, 2008…
Baby,
Hi, we are here right now in Boracay. Capturing every moment of this day with you. I am so happy you’ve arrived in our life. I am grateful for your coming…. I love you… and may you become a great inspiration of love and hope and joy in our home. I am happy… but I am “dreadful” for the fear that I might fail you in the future. But know, my baby, that mommy will always try… always dream… always be strong for you and your brothers. I will do whatever I can do that i know is best. I love you and welcome soon…. Mommy.
Today….
I will waste not even a precious second today in anger or hate or jealousy or selfishness.
I know that the seeds I sow I will harvest, because every action, good or bad, is always followed by an equal reaction.
I will plant only good seeds this day.
Pasacao Beach, Naga Bicol, January 2012
Life is too short to be consumed with unnecessary stress, hate and negative thoughts… Plant only good seeds!
Today Series: 11/22
Today…
I will embrace today’s difficult tasks, take off my coat, and make dust in the world.
I will remember that the busier I am, the less harm I am apt to suffer,
the tastier will be my food, the sweeter my sleep,
and the better satisfied I will be with my place in the world.
Aliya on her 15th month
Today series: 6/22
Today….
I will treasure this day, for it is all I have.
I know that its rushing hours cannot be accumulated or stored,
like precious grain, for future use.
Aliya, Sept 7 2011, having fun dressing up princess…
Today, while I plan for and do everyday “livelihood” chores, I should not also forget to seize every moment with delight and pleasure… no matter how toxic and busy life is, there is always simple things lurking around (unnoticed) that can make us smile and feel warm… like a kid’s smile, her bouncing around, or kid’s effort to offer you slippers (and foot massage), their singing while playing in shower. Those are the moments that cannot be stored in a box, nor completely captured in a photo. Life is now. Appreciation should not be delayed! Maybe, this imight be really the only day I have….
Today Series 4/22
Last night, I caught Aliya suddenly stood up from her sleepy state and danced and sing when he heard the song featuring at “Nick tune” at Nicolodean…. Her full smile and delight shining on her face (gone was her sleepy state!). I was delighted too… so I sat her with me and watched some more in You Tube and do sing-along over and over… (at 11 in the evening!)
“Best Day Ever” lyrics is soooo nice, funny and insightful! If you just can imagine if people waking up every morning with the same positive attitude and delight! hahaha!
Until sleeping time, Aliya is singing the song, but she keep on saying “Best Friend Ever” and I kept on correcting her, but can’t win!… Anyway her version is so cute too…
I woke up this morning with that song playing in my head…
What a good felling, i’ll tell you…
Best day ever!
I stamp this day as my “best-day-ever” day!
Mr. Sun came out and he smiled at me.
Said it’s gonna be a good one just wait and see!
Jumped out of bed and I ran outside feeling so extra exstatified!
It’s the Best day ever! (Best day ever)
It’s the Best day ever! (Best day ever)
I’m so busy got nothing to do, spent the last two hours just tying my shoe.
Every flower every grain of sand, is reaching out to shake my hand.
It’s the Best day ever! (Best day ever)
It’s the Best day ever! (Best day ever)
Sometimes the little things start closing in on me,
when I’m feeling down I wanna lose that frown
I stick my head out the window and look around.
Those clouds don’t scare me they can’t disguise,
this magic that’s happening right before my eyes.
Soon Mr. Moon will be shining bright so the best day ever will last all night.
Yes the Best day ever’s gonna last all night now.
It’s the Best day ever! (Best day ever)
It’s the Best day ever (Best day ever)
(Best day…)
Every night, Aliya will always have her books before sleeping. It’s what she call “istoyi-taym” She gets not just one book but several books for her to “read,” well, she just actually telling stories “bulol-bulol” from the pictures. When its time, she asks me to read for her. And that’s our finest moment! And mind you, it’s not “solemn” reading good for a sleepy child, but she likes it to be complete with all sounds and actions and mimic of voices. That’s why at the end of it (4 stories at the minimum), mommy was exhausted, and Aliya was “alive” again.
Come to think of it, i been doing it since Jolo was a kid, then with Lean, and now Aliya. It’s seems that while my kids can “graduate” from this ritual, their Mom cannot!
Well, I know, when I’ll look back at it, it’s our finest moment! 
Aliya and I made a quest in my Mama’s attic, and looked for old toys… there are lots of them up there and my little princess just can’t contain herself, no matter how dusty and torn and old these toys are! I saw the delight in her face for every good find! It was my pleasure to introduce her to my old (few) dolls. But our great find was the old circus toy set still in a box, with only just few pieces missing. We took them down and played with it together with Kuya Lean… Ahhh… a great way to enjoy Sunday!
Just a simple pleasure of watching them play in the park…
My Aliya is so brusko and lacks femininity climbing the slide stairs and down… My Lean is so bubbly inspite of his “size” (he reaaly needs an exercise like this)…. We rode the see-saw (the four of us) and was afraid we might break it…
What a great day!
Moments like this… This is what we live for, right… All the works and tasks that we do are geared towards having a good life and having fun! SO why not live that moment once in while, sitting momentarily with a child playing dough and clay and making stuff! I did… and had great fun!
Today, I am amazed how Aliya have grown! She can now totally comprehend and can understand simple instructions and can now command attention!
Her few gimik and antics are:
she picks up bag and says bye-bye and go to the door…
then come back to have everyone kiss her
she doesn’t know (or don’ want) to kiss, but she want to be kissed a lot
she loves to play mommy to her doll
she loves water and swimming
she loves microphone… she sings (or hum, actually) and pretend to sing
she keeps on saying,….love… love… while hugging
she calls on us to sit when she’s now on her high chair to eat
she can now eat by herself
she dance when she see somebody dance on the TV (we danced a lot yesterday)
she wants to pick-up the phone and “calls” Mama and Daddy
she once asked to be seated on the “throne” when she said wii-wii.
she can count, her favorite number is seven
she do “abs-rocket” hahaha
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| A free slideshow by Smilebox |
How can one act if one is having a hard time at work but need to have to spend great time with family?! In the end, it is just a MATTER OF CHOICE! and a better choice is always the better (who in good mind choose the worst over better, anyway?)…. well, it’s elementary, feeling great is it!
It is my Aliya’s birthday and we had a family getaway in the afternoon (because I need to go to work in the morning, but it should not get in the way about my plan for this day)… We went to Quezon City’s Ace Water Spa and had a great, great time! Aliya enjoyed it a lot (ang mommy too!) We tried everything and had a great fun! It does’t matter if she had drunk a lot of chlorine (but I mind). Later on, Aliya could say, “iming” (swimming), “awer” (shower), “eyning” (raining), boat (right, boat), slide & bubbles! We had our lunch at Greenwich (Marilao) and had our photos taken! Wheee…Saya! what a great day!
Who said about having a bad time at work? Well, it even doesn’t worth mentioning here and gaining space in my valuable blog! So that’s it!
Happy Birthday Aliya!
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| Slideshow made with Smilebox |
#23 of my 101 - Relaxed Moments and Adventures with Parents (Abroad or Province) – This time it’s Subic!
I have planned for this trip for multiple purposes. It was originally because the announced store opening of Puregold Duty Free Subic was March 15. I booked right away for the house of my dear former Boss Manny from SGV as early as February and I happened to secure the place. Great! It is also the birthday getaway of Jolo and Lean. And I really have to squeeze this gimick in my tight schedule because of my commitment (to myself) of at least 2 adventures every month. Plus, it can also be a treat to Mama and Dad! So, off we go!
I invited my parents to come with us for some meaningful bonding moments. With only us in the big house (of 4 bedrooms, 5 baths and one big play room), we watched there the Pacman boxing with Clottey and just relaxed! Or so I thought, because relaxing is not suitable if you have 3 kids in tow. So we went for a great fun at Tree Top Adventure! I think this is a must in Subic! So, we tried the “rides” if that’s what is called of tossing us between trees, sideways and upwards! Jolo and Papi did the “Interactive Tree Fall” and “Surfing” while Jolo and I did the “Superman” (read more here as this is also an accomplishment of one of my 101), later on Lean and I rode the Canopy Ride for 40-minutes cable ride (chair) atop the trees up to 150 feet. See for yourself, see this site. The following day, we went on beach swimming at All Hands Beach (which Aliya enjoyed so much) and sunset watching.
But the highlight of our escapades (at least for me) is our daily breakfast at the garden… Just the family and Mama and Daddy! relaxed talks and lots of laughters! Great, great weekend!
Did I mentioned that the store did not open on that weekend? so I just drop-by to see the set-up (while they watch the sunset….)
see pictures on my multiply site, and the sample below:
I wished the time stood still….
Me cradling, cuddling my baby girl Aliya in my arms
while still in bed early this morning…(February 19, 2010, 6:15am)
Both of us are awake and making only rocking movements…
Mom and child humming some unrecognizable tune…
Perfect fit…. she’s as is if so fit in my embrace…
No matter how small she is (or big she will be…)
She will be fit in my hug…
What a perfect moment…
Hope we could be in that position for long,
She, not making fuss, or getting bored, just giggling…
Me, so oblivious of time and demands of the day…
Just like that… so peaceful… so rewarding… so blissful.
Stop!
November 15, 2009, I’ve started “walking” again in the morning. This thing is one of those in my “procrastination” list for a very long time (say 2 years!) It’s always in my goal, but never came around it until on the 15th of Nov.
Without plan, without preparation, without further ado, I just wore my running shoes (now flaky), put my early-riser little girl Aliya on her stroller, picked up the camera, and just walked. I followed the same road to old playground at the back of the village. There, I realized how nice it is to walk again and castigated myself for not doing it so soon….
The benefits are limitless…
I have relaxed moments of thinking…
it seems my mind is clearing of “cobwebs”…
my nerves is calming down
i can feel i can face the day with more confidence and enthusiasm
my rubber shoes are now put into use
regained “smile-back” relationship with my neighbors
the air is fresh and it’s good for my lungs
my belly is sweating (where I put a tight band)
the physical workout is good for my heart
I am working on my photo-shooting
Aliya is enjoying the scene and seen a lot of “tek-tek” (roosters)
and I love every minute with my little girl Aliya!
So, the following day, we did again… and the next day, we walked again… and so on and on….
Great!
Aliya is growing up… fast… the changes maybe subtle, but it’s there! Here’s a smilebox slideshow showing her “transformation” in four months (from August to November in 2009)….
and here's her slideshow during her 1st year on earth....
Make a Smilebox slideshow
Make a Smilebox scrapbook
Random Pictures Taken In September 2009…
ALiya’s growth in 365 days will be chronicled in my subsequent blogs…
