sharpie art

Visiting my Mama in in Las Vegas,  NV - been staying in the lovely lovely guest room in her lovely lovely house (This arrangement is more practical and way better than staying at a hotel, me thinks).

I couldn't help but notice that one of the closet doors had a bit of adhesive-and-paper residue surrounded by chipped paint.  Apparently a poster was previously glued on and later peeled off (My kid sister attempted to hide the damage by plastering a Yoda sticker over it but that only made it more obvious, considering that the sticker didn't match the overall aesthetic and that there were no Star Wars fans in that household).  That unsightly scar on the closet door nagged me day and night, egging the obsessive freak in me.  I finally decided to do something about it.

I grabbed the available materials - a bunch of multicolored Sharpies - and with my Ma's permission, drew freehand on the door in an attempt to camouflage the damage.  On the other door were existing letter decals spelling out a love proverb, so I decided to draw something complementary.

Love proverb = heart visual.  A heart is too cliche, I know.  But it works

Yes, Sharpies - a.k.a., felt-tipped pens.  Good thing there happened to be a lot of them lying around; I didn't feel like making a trip to the the nearest art supplies store (which isn't exactly that near) for paints and stuff I'd only be using once.  It pays to be frugal and resourceful.  :p

And voici, the end product.  I'm  not too happy with how some of the parts turned out (I didn't pencil everything in), but I'm generally pleased with it as a whole.

an early summer in bohol

Had an early summer in the lovely, laid-back province of Bohol.

We first of all visited family. 

We stuffed ourselves with food.

What was special about the food during our trip was that it was mostly fresh seafood.  Freshly-caught fish, prawns and squid taste so much better than the store-bought frozen variety.


We also went beach-hopping.

When we think of nice, white sand beaches in the Philippines, we often think of Boracay.  But I was delightfully surprised to learn that there are so many white sand beaches in the island of Panglao.

The sand is pale and fine, like polvoron.

We went to see the historical sites ...

Above: The Sandugo Monument. It commemorates the blood compact made between Datu Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi on March 16, 1565, to signify good relations.

Baclayon Church, one of the oldest churches in Asia.  Built in 1727 by the Jesuits, it is quite well-preserved.

... and natural treasures Bohol is known for:

Loboc River.  Enjoyed via a leisurely cruise and lunch on a floating restaurant.

Hinagdanan Cave.

 Tarsiers, one of the world's smallest primates.

And of course, a tour of Bohol wouldn't be complete without seeing the Chocolate Hills.

One of my favorite parts of the trip: Dolphin-watching.

  We were lucky to sight a lot of dolphins skipping.  We were close enough to tell they were huge - they might have been about human size or bigger.

 

That was fun.  ^_^  Next trip planned for summer 2012:  Laiya, Batangas, next month.

oceanarium outing and thoughts on extended family

On my Papa's 66th birthday, we spent the afternoon at Manila Ocean Park with the cute little Nephew and the cute little Niece.

This here is my brother with his boy.

It was the most outrageously tiring of outings (the lines were suuuuuuuper long and inconvenient), but it was so nice to see the pamangkins smile at the sight of multicolored fishies, sharkies and friendly penguins. 

 

Photos mine.

The best sight of all was Papa having fun with his grandkids. It's not that often that we see my brother and his family, so a day with them is a special treat of sorts.

Family is a blessing.  That includes the extended part - aunts and uncles, cousins, in-laws and so on.   Mine is far from the warm, fuzzy Disney-movie kind of family, and there could be unnecessary drama sometimes (or a lot of times), but the bottom line is that there's a lot to be thankful for.  I kinda think we prefer not to see each other so much (hahaha, it works for us that way), but we make sure to make time every now and then.  Things don't have to be perfectly hunky-dory always, but you just gotta create happy moments and revel in them - realistically, you'll never know for sure if it's the last time you'll see each other, right?  Might as well make things golden when you can.
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one less bunny at home :(

Yesterday I said farewell to my beloved Pepper.  He became very sick and his health decreased very rapidly in the past few days.  We did what we could to save him, but in the end he had to go.  I had wished that he would live a long, healthy and happy life with us, but I accept that that isn't in my power to fulfill.  :(

I knew even then that he wasn't mine to keep permanently, that I would eventually have to say goodbye.  In the three years he was with us, I endeavored to be the best bunny-mom I could be, so that I could collect many happy memories.  Now that he has been taken from me, I choose not to focus on the sadness of loss but on all the good he has brought into our lives.

God gave him (and his brother Davey, who is still alive and well) to me when I was going through an arduous and trying time. He was unexpected but very warmly welcomed.  He was just a tiny ball of fur that could sit in one of my hands back then. He brought me joy and helped me to stay positive; whenever I got depressed, he never failed to cheer me up, simply by being cute and fluffy.

He taught me a lot about love, grace and faith.  He even taught me much theology - the character of God, how God connects, how the Lord can be so forgiving to those who fail him over and over.  Even after his last nose-wiggle, I learned something from my dear Pepper.  His passing solidified my conviction that Jesus truly loves me, and cares about what I care about.

He was a good and beautiful rabbit, and I will remember him that way.  I will remember how he would hop onto the bed and nuzzle my face, how he would give me nose-bonks to ask for a raisin, how he followed me around and huddled next to me.  He was really sweet and loving. He wasn't the most energetic of bunnies, but he was very curious, poking here and there - it was at times bit annoying, but always thoroughly endearing.   I recall how people who saw him would say he was a gorgeous little animal; indeed, he was - he had soft, cushy fur with Dutch markings.  In his prissiness, he managed to keep his white coat gleaming clean.  He had bigger-than-usual round eyes, thick, long "eyelashes" and velvety ears.  He was instantly loveable.

The past 24 hours have been terribly sad for me, but I'm no victim of regret. I know I gave him a comfortable, happy home and he was as blissful as a bunny can be. He has affected and enriched me in many ways, and I'm grateful and honored to have welcomed him in my life.  Little as he was, he was an enormous blessing from God, and I will always be thankful for him, even long after he is gone.

You will be missed and always loved, Bunny Bun Bun.

vacation mode

I haven't been blogging the past few because I've too gladly put myself on Vacation Mode. Two weeks ago, the Hubby and I flew over to see my Mom, her husband and my little sister in Nevada. We're still here by the way. So far, we've had somewhere to go and something to do every day.



I'm quite enjoying the "new environment" - the cool, non-humid climate, the alien scenery, the differing culture.



I love most of all how I've finally gotten to spend time with this slice of family.



We've had so much fun snapping and sharing photos too.


The Hubby and I have around two and a half weeks before we head back to Manila, and we hope to make the most of those days.

one day to go! =D

This day in the world of emoticons, I am equal sign capital D. I'm pumped (albeit a little stressed) and enthused (although a little tired) because tomorrow I shall be making that several-hour flight to see my mom and my littlest sister for the first time in years. The Hubby and I will be traveling together, bearing gifts and good tidings.

We didn't think we could make this trip, but thanks to a few wonderful family members and family-friends, we shall be on our way. Our Mama - who just went through a major surgery - would be very happy to see us too; our presence there will be an awesome (late) Mothers' Day gift for her.

I shall continue packing and preparing now. ^_^

this summer's first beach trip

Summer just ain't complete without a trip to the beach. I spent yesterday with the Hubby and the in-laws at a lovely resort in Hamilo Coast, Batangas.

All photos mine.

The place had white sands, several swimming pools and amenities worthy of five stars. The resort isn't completely built yet, but there's a lot to enjoy in it nonetheless .


We had a great day of swimming (well, it was more like wading in water than actually swimming, haha), chatting and eating and snapping photos. I was a bit high on antihistamines because my allergies suddenly acted up, so I wasn't very active the whole day. I felt so congested and surly, but at least the feeling that my head was floating around gave me a sense of relaxation.


I made sure to get lightly toasted. I want tan lines to show so it would be obvious to everyone that I've been to the beach.

Next trip: Subic, first week of May. ^_^

i just had a beautiful december ^_^

I disappeared from the blogosphere for a couple of weeks to make room for the loveliest holiday season I've had in years.

What made this December extra special are the relatives (on my mother's side) most of whom I haven't seen in a decade or so. They flew in from different places on the globe and we had that rare family reunion. We spent a big, loud Noche Buena together at my aunt's house, and lunch after Christmas at another aunt's house.


It definitely was nice to see my cousins again (most of whom are now a lot ... er, bigger than I remember them to be).

I guess my favorite part was the trip to Vigan. I've always wanted to go since a lot of people have told me it's a picturesque must-see.


But more significantly, Vigan is the hometown of my maternal grandparents. I went with my Hubby, my sister and twenty or so other relatives; my aunt, who is now sort of the clan matriarch, played Group Leader / Tour Guide. This was an informative sort of vacation, the main agenda of which was to get to know more about our ancestry. I loved every bit of it.

The trip also included a stopover at the Capas National Shrine at Tarlac en route. My grandfather was a Death March survivor and a prisoner of war at Camp O'Donnel back in 1942. This stop was for us to remember and appreciate him.

The Monument at Capas, Tarlac

My lolo and his brother's name engraved on the walls of the memorial.

We also had a daytrip around Ilocos Norte and a calesa tour of Vigan.

Interior of Paoay Church, Ilocos Norte.

Citrus-colored Parakeets at Baluarte.

And oh - we capped our nights with riotous Videoke sessions.

The frosting on the whole cake is my new camera. I'm really loving it. It's a lot more capable than the other camera I've been using, and the important part is that it's my own, not something I have to borrow. I took a lot of nice photomementoes and artistic printables.

There have been some ideas tossed regarding another possible reunion for 2011, to be held in Cebu this time. I'm hoping, and looking forward to another colorful December.