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Anini-y is one of the towns of Antique. We went there on the 26th of February 2008 to see the Anini-y Church. Built by Agustinian in 1630-1638, it is the only preserved colonial church in Antique.

We went inside the utterly quiet church and said our prayers.

Behind the church is the awesome beach. For more information about Antique as a heritage site, click here.

To see more Weekenders, visit this site. HAVE A GREAT WEEK TO ALL!

May hihigit pa ba sa init na idinudulot ng siling labuyo (Capsicum frutescens) sa hapag kainan? Sa mga Bicolano, ito ay lada, silit diablo naman sa mga Ilokano. Bukod sa anghang na idinudulot nito, marami rin itong benipisyo sa kalusugan ayon sa Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research.

Ang paborito kong chitchiria na maanghang ay Oishi. Malutong, malinamnam at kakaiba ang lasang idinudulot ng sili na kasama sa mga ingredients nito.

Hot sauce naman ay nagbibigay sipa sa ibat-ibang klase ng pagkain. Ang pinaka gusto kong lagyan ng hot sauce ay ang pizza.

Magandang Huwebes sa inyong lahat!

I went to SM City-Dasmarinas to pay a bill and buy some important stuff. As I’ve been doing before, I thought of dropping by BOOKSALE.

Before reaching the book shop, I promised myself that I’ll get just one book preferrably by John Grisham or Stephen King. But when I got there, my plan simply vanished into thin and I ended up getting these:

Last night I read an article about Toni Morrison and upon seeing Paradise I didn’t think twice in buying it. For how much? Php 45.00!! Its unread, in good condition, hardbound with dust jacket.

Since Uno and Jed learned to say the word “book”, I always look something for them. For Jed, a nursery rhyme ‘board book’ featuring The Eensy Weensy Spider with stylish holes in every page and another Curious George for Uno. Too early for a comic book? I don’t think so. Uno is attracted to different reading materials including Jollibee ads so why not a Spiderman comic book? The boys fell asleep with those reading matters beside them. Bed time stories will continue tomorrow.

Oh, the other important stuff is one of these:

By the time I was done with my shopping, i was carrying six bags, the box of the potty trainer plus my backpack. Fortunately, a good looking SM trainee [with emphasis on good looking] assisted me in carrying the bags until I reached the exit of the mall. While we were walking I thought of striking a conversation but he to be in a deep thought. I just thanked him afterwards and he went on his way back to the supermarket.

I received some interesting MD text messages and emails from friends. But there’s one given to me, or should I say written for me, by a friend who is also a mother herself. It’s an unexpected and wonderful way of remembering me in such a special occasion.

We talked about something this morning and what she told me was equally wonderful as the poem that she has written.

To my dear friend, thank you so much. Even if I say a million THANK YOUs, I know it won’t be enough to express my gratitude for your friendship and for being around every time I’m out of my senses. Though there is a distance between us and we are constantly bombarded by things that are happening around us, I am certain that you are just a click away. To listen, to share some dreams, to laugh and cry with me, to walk along with me in the journey called life…

True friends are like mornings, you can’t have them the whole day, but you can be sure, they will be there when you wake up tomorrow, next year and forever.

Anonymous

Yesterday was a celebration of a 24/7 job. For many mothers out there, everyday is a mother’s day minus the hoopla.

I was busy yesterday mothering to Uno and Jed and mothering to my childish thoughts. Unlike Uno and Jed who are my constant source of joy, inspiration and dream. My childish thoughts are insecure orphans aimlessly looking for a shelter to call home.

The Mother’s Day celebration turns 100 yesterday. The mother of Mother’s Day celebration was opposed to commercialization of the occasion according to one news item. Tell that to the flower shops, restaurants, bake shops, shopping malls, and print ads that I saw yesterday in the PDInquirer. Its business and we also fell under its spell for my sister brought a delicious Goldilocks cake for our mother and another sister bought some delicious meals to celebrate the special day. It didn’t matter whether its business or not, as long as our mother was happy.

[A] mother is one to whom you hurry when you are troubled. -Emily Dickinson

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. -Washington Irving

For more inspirational quotes, visit this site.

JODRIAN ALEXANDER

Balik uli sa dating kalikutan at katakawan si Jed. Tinutubuan kase ng ngipin kaya naging matamlay at maselan sa pagkain. Isang taon, limang buwan at apat na araw na sya. Marunong na siyang mag-demand. Kapag may gusto at hindi maibigay, naglulupasay, iiyak ng pagkalalakas-lakas at hindi agad mapatahan. Paminsan-minsan lang naman yon. Most of the time, happy and jolly baby sya with his usual killer smile.

Wet-kisser pa rin si Jed, mahilig sumayaw na parang kangkarot na trumpo. Ang pinaka-nakakatuwa sa kanya ang ang pag-ulit nya ng mga sinasabi sa kanya na tulad ng mommy, daddy, nanay, tatay. Pero pag sinabing ‘kuya uno’, ang sasabihin n’ya ay ‘bebe’. Kahit ilang beses ulitin ang ‘kuya’. ‘bebe’ pa rin ang sasabihin n’ya.

Nagtataka nga kami. Naalala ko nung nasa sinapupunan ko sya, baby pa si Uno. Ang tinatawag ko kay Uno ay ‘kuya baby’ o kaya ay sinasabihan ko syang ‘kuya na, baby pa’. Wala pa kaseng isang taon noon si Uno ay nasundan na. Naisip ko na bakit kaya ganun? Kung naririnig ni Jed ang sinasabi ko kay Uno noon nasa tummy ko pa sya, na-retain kaya ‘yong ‘baby’ sa brain n’ya? Bakit kaya maski ituro ko lang ang Kuya Uno n’ya eh ‘bebe’ pa rin ang sinasabi n’ya?

Mahilig na rin s’yang magsalita ng ‘bok’ sabay turo sa mga libro ko. Kapag nahawakan n’ya ang big book n’ya na halos luray-luray na ang cover, feeling na rin n’yang magbasa at ang favorite picture n’ya ay car. Kapag hawak ni Uno ang crayons n’ya, mang-aagaw pero hindi isusulat kundi titikman! Hindi naman n’ya kinakain pero kapag nakikita naming isusubo na sa bibig ay talagang inaagapan namin.

S’ya pa ring ang unang natutulog tuwing gabi at unang nagigising sa umaga. Kapag nagising sya sa umaga, kailangan gising na rin ako dahil sisigaw sya at maghahanap ng milk.

Gusto na ng lola n’ya na pagupitan ng buhok pero sabi ko ‘wag muna kase gusto kong may bangs. Isang beses pa lang kase sya nagugupitan at kasama noon ang lola n’ya. Walang dalang camera kaya walang souvenir ng first haircut n’ya unlike kay Uno dahil magkasama kami. Pag nagpa-haircut si Jed, gusto ko magkasama kami para may kodak moment sya sa kanyang second haircut.

JOHN BENEDICT

Si Uno hindi nakakatulog sa gabi na hindi katabi ang Curious George Learns the Alphabet book n’ya. Mula nang ibinigay ko sa kanya, iyon na ang naging paborito nya. Ang una n’yang na-recognize na object sa book ay balloon, doughnut, and apple. Gustong-gusto n’yang makinig kapag nagku-kwento ako tungkol sa mga pictures na nakikita n’ya sa mga pages. Na-recognize na n’ya na rin ang picture ng flower dahil minsan ay may ipinakita ako sa kanyang bulaklak sa halamanan ng lola n’ya. Siguro na-retain ang experience na yun sa isip n’ya kaya ng makita n’ya ang picture sa book ay alam n’ya na flower yon.

Kung minsan, habang hawak ni Uno ang book, haharap sya sa Alphabet Chart na naka-post sa pintuan at titingin sa book. Sa obserbasyon ko, kino-compare ni Uno ang mga letters and objeccts na nakikita n’ya sa book at sa chart. Hindi naman s’ya nagtatagal sa ganung eksena. Matagal na ang 15 minutes.

Pag dating naman sa numbers, ang nasasabi pa lang n’ya ay one, two, ‘teven’ [seven], eight, nine, ten.

Binigyan ko sya ng Spiderman coloring book and drawing book, crayons, pencil. Noong unang beses na ginamit n’ya talagang very excited sya. Ayaw n’yang pahawakan sa akin ang kamay n’ya para i-guide ko. Gusto n’ya, sya lang mag-isa ang gagawa. Lines pa lang ang kaya nyang gawin at magkulay ng magkulay na parang abstract. Wala pa syang concept ng space sa papel kaya lahat ng output n’ya ay mistulang kinahig ng luka-lukang manok.

Maselan kumain ngayon si Uno dahil tinutubuan ng ngipin. Kahapon nga ay may sinat mag-hapon. Pero kahit may sinat ay grabe pa rin ang kalikutan. Away-bati sila ng mga pinsan nyang mga babae na sina AC and Gutz. Pagmagkukulitan kailangan laging babantayan kase pag nag-umbagan, talagang may iiyak.

The Boys of Reason

Natutuwa akong pagmasdan ang mga boys lalo na kapag naghaharutan sila. Marunong na silang mag-wrestling at ang saya-saya nila pag ganun ang ginagawa nila. Kailangan ko lang bantayan kase baka magka-daganan. One to two inches lang siguro ang diperensya ng taas ni Uno kay Jed. Mas malaki naman ang body build ni Jed kesa kay Uno.

Di naman sila mapagkakamalang kambal dahil ang kulay ni Uno ay nakuha sa akin samantalang ang kay Jed ay sa daddy nila. Si Uno bilog ang mata, samantalang si Jed eh medyo singkit.

Minsan nakakapagod mag-alaga sa malilikot na boys. Nakaka-tense kapag nadapa, nahulog o maysakit. Pero kasama yon sa role ko. Every night I pray na sana lagi silang okay. Marami akong pangarap para sa kanilang dalawa. Minsan nagkakaroon ako ng anxiety dahil sa uncertainty ng future. Pero dasal ang katapat noon at pagsisikap na mabigyang sila ng tamang ehemplo at magandang kinabukasan.

Uno and Jed are my inspiration and with them, every dream is possible.

Appetizer

When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?

Yes. Its a natural instinct for me to smile back. But if a situation suggests that its improper to smile, I don’t.

Soup

Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?

Its a smooth, gray cemented floor that requires twice-a-day mopping because a part of our home is under construction.

Salad

Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.

Jude’s January journal jaded Julia.

That was fun!

Main Course

Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?

A friend of mine has an adopted son. He grew up as a responsible young man. He is married now and currently posted in a foreign country. He sends his mom text messages everyday and she even showed me his latest pictures. The last time I saw them together was a week before he left.

Dessert

Name 2 blue things.

Enjoy the other’s  feast here.

Ang Ina ng Laging Saklolo ay kanlungan hindi lamang ng mga puso at damdaming nakikibaka sa pagtahak sa masalimuot na buhay. Higit sa lahat, ang Mahal na Ina ay isang matibay na pagpapahiwatig ng walang hanggang pagmamahal ng Poong Maykapal.

Inabot na ng madaling araw ang videoke ng kapitbahay. Hindi naman ako nabibingi, lahat ng kasama ko dito sa bahay ay mahimbing na sa tulog at ang iba ay naglalakbay na sa kanilang panaginip. Pero wala pa ring puknat ang kantahan dun sa may kanto! Anu ba yun?!

Kaninang tanghali, dun sa bahay na kaharap mismo ng bahay namin eh merong ayaw magpa-awat kumanta. Okay lang sana pero para akong tino-torture habang naririnig ko! Pintasera talaga ang lola mo kapag ang gustong mang-angkin ng microphone eh yung hindi na nag-vocalize, feeling pa God’s gift to mankind ang boses nila pag kumanta… Hay naku…

Sa oras na ito 12:44 AM RP time, tuloy pa rin ang ligaya ng mga nagkakantahan sa kanto . At ang puyatan ng mga taong malapit sa kanila.

Habang nagba-bloghopping eh nakita ko ‘tong quiz na matutunghayan sa Blogthings.com at ito ang resulta!

You Are Boyish Sexy

You’re the kind of girl who gets along with all the boysWhether it’s holding your own in a game of touch football… Or kicking some major butt while playing Xbox. You hang with the guys easily, while still keeping your girly sexiness.

Sa mga kaibigan mula nong bata ako hanggang magtapos sa kolehiyo, kahit mas marami ang kaibigan kong gerlash, nakakarelate naman ako sa mga boylash at kinarir ko yung isa d’yan kaya ngayon may dalawang boylash na din ako .