August 21, 2009: Araw ng Dilaw

On August 21, 2009,
Make Ninoy and Cory’s spirit of sacrifice live within you.
Sa Araw ng Dilaw,
Wear something yellow.
Light a yellow candle
to remember Ninoy and Cory’s love for the Filipino.

And if you’re on the road on that day
Keep the flame of Ninoy and Cory burning.
Along with a thousand other cars, switch on your hazard lights from 6pm to 7pm and spread the country’s Yellow Spark far and wide.

Thank you, Tita Cory!

With one decision, you made a difference.
A change that rocked the world,
Made headlines, and ousted a dictator.

With sheer determination, you gave a chance
For democracy, for freedom.

With a single call, you united a once-divided nation.
You walked the streets, thousands flocked the highways.
You silently prayed, the nation's voice was heard.
You started a fight, the entire Filipino people won.

With your courage, we became strong.
Your Faith gave us hope.
Your generous offering of yourself made us rich.
And even in your weakness, we were united in prayer.

Thank you, Cory, for all that you are,
For the freedom that you fought for,
For the democracy that you won for us,
For the nation that you united.

Happy Father's Day!

To my dearest hubby, the best daddy in the whole world,
To my Papa who has my utmost respect and admiration,
To my father-in-law who treats me like his own daughter,
To my brother who is generous and kind,
And to all others who are blessed to be called a father,
This is just a short note to let you know that you are special!
It may be easy to have a child, but it sure isn't easy being a father.

Mabuti pa ang iba...

Mabuti pa ang cellphone, pwede ma-lowbatt.
Mabuti pa ang PC, may hibernate at shutdown.
Mabuti pa ang ref, paminsan-minsan dine-defrost.
Mabuti pa ang TV, pwedeng i-off.
Mabuti pa ang aircon, may fan mode.
Mabuti pa ang araw, sumisikat at lumulubog.

Eh ang pagiging ina?

Si Nanay di pwedeng ma-lowbatt, laging "on-call".
Si Mama di pwedeng mag-shutdown, bawal magkasakit.
Si Mommy di pwedeng ma-defrost, hindi natutunaw ang lakas.
Si Inay di pwedeng i-off ang pag-aaruga.
Si Mom walang fan mode, laging bumubuga ang pagmamahal.

Mabuti pa ang iba, pwedeng magpahinga.
Ngunit ang pagiging isang ina...
24/7, walang tigil, walang katapusan.

Isang pagpupugay sa iyo, ina, sa araw mo.
Maligayang Araw ng mga Nanay!

5 Fun Things To Do With Mom

Mother's Day means spending quality time with our moms. Here are some fun ideas to make mom feel extra special!

1. Spa galore!
Mom will surely feel even more beautiful and super relaxed after a day at the spa. Join her for a relaxing treat of manicure, pedicure, hand & foot spa, and a full body massage!

2. Breakfast in bed (with a twist).
Surprise mom with a plate of tapsilog and a cup of hot chocolate. Don't forget to add a rose with a note telling her how much you love her! Now, here's the twist, to make it more fun, be ready with a mini-dining table to place inside her room so that you can all have "breakfast in bed" together! =)

3. Shopping, shopping, and more shopping!
What do all women want? SHOPPING!!! Bring mom along and let her pick her Mother's Day gift (set a budget, if needed). Then you could just spend away the day doing some window shopping or strolling in the mall.

4. Movie time!
When was the last time you watched a movie together with mom? This time, let mom pick the movie she wants to see, and watch it together with her. Mom will surely enjoy the movie more with you by her side!

5. Picnic surprise!
Grab your picnic basket! Prepare some food, snacks, and drinks; put in disposable plates, cups, and utensils; and cover with a large blanket. Now you're ready to take mom out for a nice outdoor picnic! (Of course, be sure to look for a nice picnic area beforehand. I recommend picnic grove in Tagaytay. Read more about our recent picnic at Tagaytay picnic grove here).

There's still time to plan on what you'd want to do with mom on Mother's Day! Have fun planning! And even more, enjoy the day with mom! =)

May 10 is Mother's Day: Who started this tradition of honoring moms?

With just a week before Mother's day, I'm thinking of writing several articles this week in preparation for this very special day. As for my first entry on this topic, I am writing about the history of Mother's day.

The modern Mother's day holiday was created by Anna Jarvis in 1912. She also trademarked the phrases "second Sunday in May" and "Mother's Day". Note the position of the apostrophe: it's meant to be a singular possessive, for each family to honor their mother, and not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world.

Jarvis, however, was against the commercialization of this holiday and used all her inheritance and the rest of her life fighting it. She criticized the practice of sending printed greeting cards on Mother's Day, and said that it just shows how lazy people are to write personal letters to their mothers. Jarvis died in poverty, and ironically was never married, nor had any children.

I think however commercialized Mother's Day has become now, almost a century after, it is a day to pay tribute to our mothers. Whether it is a personal letter or a greeting card, a breakfast in bed or a special meal at the restaurant, a store-bought cake or a home-made cookie, a box of chocolates or a hot cup of coffee, a bouquet of roses or a bunch of garden flowers, what's important is making your mother feel loved and special on her day! You can spend a fortune on this day, or a simple "I Love You, Mom" to make her smile...At the end of the day, when you really think about it, "no gift to your mother could ever equal her gift to you - Life!"

A Song for Papa

My father died in 2006.
Sadly, he did not get the chance to see my daughter, his grandchild.
I'm sure he would have loved to play with her and cuddle her in his arms.
Now that I am a parent myself, I am more grateful to my parents for bringing me up well.
Now that I know by personal experience how hard parenting can be, I salute my parents for their patience, hard work, care, and love towards us.

As All Souls' Day comes near, I think it is fitting to pay tribute to my Papa with his favorite song.
May God bless his soul.


Skyline Pigeon

Music by Elton JohnLyrics by Bernie Taupin
Turn me loose from your hands
Let me fly to distant lands
Over green fields, trees and mountains
Flowers and forest fountains
Home along the lanes of the skyway

For this dark and lonely room
Projects a shadow cast in gloom
And my eyes are mirrors
Of the world outside
Thinking of the way
That the wind can turn the tide
And these shadows turnFrom purple into grey
For just a Skyline Pigeon
Dreaming of the open
Waiting for the day
He can spread his wings
And fly away again
Fly away skyline pigeon fly
Towards the dreamsYou've left so very far behind
Just let me wake up in the morning
To the smell of new mown hay
To laugh and cry, to live and dieIn the brightness of my day
I want to hear the pealing bells
Of distant churches sing
But most of all please free me
From this aching metal ring
And open out this cage towards the sun