Important in the Life of A Child

Last March 26, 2011, my little man "graduated" from his Nursery class. I made sure I had no appointments that day, made sure that no phone calls to come in for work will happen. All my attention was on my little man, my son, Zion. And it was a good thing, I made time for it. My little guy was awarded the "Mr. Pure Energy" special award for his energetic and active participation in class activities. I surely blushed when I heard cheered and applauded when his award was announced. After I pinned the ribbon/award on his shirt, I hugged him tight, and joyfully whispered "I'm so proud of you, my baby". I guess I will never exchange moments like those for any amount of treasure or wealth. Even if my son only graduated from Nursery, as his mom, I felt it was also my achievement. And though I know there will be rough moments ahead as Zion enters a big school next year, I know that WE CAN make it through. :-)

Journalling: A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove... but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child. - Forest E. Witcraft

Credits for this layout: Dream Big by Scrap Indonesia / Aprilisa Designs; Wordart from Bethany's Elegant WordArt;

ET @ 60

The weeks that passed was a hectic and very busy week for me and my mom. We were busy preparing for a surprise party on my Dad's 60th birthday. We had the party last March 12. We were very careful upto the last minute so as not to destroy the surprise. My Mom had to come up with an alibi saying that they (Dad and Mom) needs to attend a meeting, while my brother and I (together with Zion) pretended that we will be attending another party. While the guests were coming in, we had to keep them inside the hall to prevent my Dad from seeing them loitering around the premises. Imagine the surprise on my Dad's face when he finally got inside the venue, and saw most of his closest friends, former and current officemates, and relatives. The surprise didn't stop there. He had no idea that we prepared a program for him, complete with stories from friends, an AVP presentation, toasting, and of course special birthday wishes from the family. The journalling I placed in this layout was the birthday wish "speech" I gave when it was my turn to speak.

Journalling:
Dearest Daddy, first of all I would like to greet you a happy 60th birthday. On this day, I wish you good health, more blessings, and long life filled with happiness. On your 60th birthday, and incidentally your retirement, take time to smell the flowers, see the beauty of your surroundings, and most importantly enjoy life. Dad, we may not always see eye to eye. We may not be the perfect father and daughter pair, and I may have caused a lot of your white hair, but know that in my heart, that you're the best and the greatest. Thank you so much and I love you.

Credits for this layout: Reflections Blogtrain Kit - can be found in Designs by Anita .

January 2K11 Calendar Layout

HaPpY NeW YeAr!!! HaPpY NeW DeCaDe!! :-)

It's the first day of the year 2011. And it's also nice to know that we're starting a new decade. I can say that the year 2010 has been a year of sorts for me. I was able to travel to a lot of places in 2010. I got retrenched from my previous work in mid-2010. Incidentally, it was a blessing a disguise, because I was able to join a much-better company after my retrenchment. I gained new friends in this new company, without necessarily, losing my friends from my previous company. It was also a blessing because one of my closest friends from elementary/high school has also joined this new company. Well, my love life hasn't improved in the year 2010, but I guess the other good things that happened in 2010 outweighed my still-zero lovelife. :-)

On the other hand, I always believe that one of the best things God has given me has and will always be my family. It is one of the enduring things in my life. Jobs, just like money, come and go. Friends may not always be there, when needed. Pictures of travels fade in time. But the bond and love brought about by family, always endures.

So for my opening layout salvo for the year 2011, I am featuring my own family - my Dad, my mom, my brother Philip (whose butt is the only thing visible in the pictures.. :-) ), my dear cousin Josie, our beloved nanny Yaya Linda, and my precious son Zion. We may not be a perfect family, as we are not perfect individually. But the support, respect, acceptance, and love, this family has are the things that keep it together.

To my family, friends, and to the readers of this blog, I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year. May this new year and this new decade bring about winds of prosperity, abundance, and of course the fundamentals - hope, peace, joy, and love (i.e. a new love life please for me! :-)).

Credits for this layout: Simple Scrap Kit and Remember the Past Kit both from Nathan Design. WordArt from Bethany's Elegant WordArt. Miss Mint 2011 Calendar Stamps available at Peppermint Creative.

For Dear Yaya Linda

Before the month of November finally comes to an end, I would like to feature another birthday celebrant of this month - our very own Yaya Linda, Zion's ever-reliable nanny. Yaya Linda has been Zion's nanny since Zion was one week old. I am proud to say that Yaya has been with the family for more than 4 years now. She has taken very good care of Zion since day1, and she has seen Zion grow from being an infant until now that Zion is already a preschooler. In these times, wherein finding a reliable and trustworthy nanny is difficult as finding the perfect pair of shoes, I surely feel lucky to find one in my Yaya Linda. Not only is she a nanny to Zion, but she also serves as a second parent and grandparent when I am not or when my mom (Zion's real grandma) are not around. So to our dear Yaya Linda, happy happy birthday! I know you may not be internet-saavy, and may not be able to read this, but just the same, I want you to know that I am so thankful for always being there for me and Zion. Thank you for everything.. :-)

Journalling: For all the love, the patience, the understanding.. For being a very good secon parent... Thank you dear Yaya Linda.

Credits for this layout: Remember When Kit by Kim B's Digi Scraps.

Be Happy

One of the famous advertisements here in the Philippines is that of a multivitamin. I guess it was because of its tagline - Be Happy. Another known politician in this country used a similar campaign motto during the May 2010 elections - Gusto ko happy ka (i.e. I want you to be happy). I guess it's a common thought that everyone wants to be happy - may it be in one's personal life, love life, career or family life. I also share that thought - I also want to be happy. But I personally think that one's happiness relies on how one defines happiness. For one, I am happy with the simple things - lose 2-3 lbs, a 3-day weekend, good rest from a stressful week at work, digital scrapbooking, travelling to local and foreign places, and a simple hug and kiss from my little one Zion.

For my layout today, I feature my cousin Josie during our trip to Lake Pandin (as part of the Viaje del Sol trip) in the province of Laguna. To be honest (and she might get pissed with this comment), my cousin Josie is not really fond of smiling. She is normally the serious type, mukhang problemado sa buhay type of girl. There should be some good reason before she actually smiles, albeit laugh. It is during this rare occassions, during these more relaxing moments, when I actually see my cousin smile. And I am glad that I've got my camera ready to capture this kind of moments.

By the way, to my cousin Josie, belated happy happy birthday (last October 15)!! Hope to see you smile more frequently. :-D

Journalling: If you want to Be Happy, Be. - Leo Tolstoy

Credits for this layout: Citrus Twist Kit from Sprouting Seeds Studio; WordArt by Bethany Elegant WordArt.

Happy Dad's Day 2010

Today is a day wherein the world gives credit to fathers, the responsible and loving head of every household. For my layout today, I feature my own Dad, together with my brother and my son. My Dad is not a perfect man. There are times wherein we don't see eye-to-eye because of his more conservative outlook on things. But I can definitely say, I couldn't and I wouldn't ask for a much better Dad, because my Dad has been a very responsible, loving, and understanding father to me. I hope and I pray that when my brother and my son, become fathers themselves, they too, will be like my Dad.

To my Dad - Happy Father's Day!! We may not always see things from the same perspective, but your love, patience, and understanding have made you what you are now - the best Dad anyone could have.

Credits for this layout: Dadditude Kit from Peppermint Creative; Not His Angel font from Kevin and Amanda.com.

Four Generations

I was lucky enough to be able to go to a lot of places this summer. One of the places I've visited was the Summer Capital of the Philippines, Baguio City. I went there last May with my family. We have been to Baguio several times before, but somehow, each visit is always unique and the experience is always fun and rejuvenating. Perhaps it can attributed the cool climate of Baguio, which is around 18 - 20 deg Celsius (a far cry from the scorching 37-38 deg Celsius here in Manila last summer). This cool climate makes everyone relaxed and less irritable.

One of the places we've visited in Baguio was the Philippine Military Academy. Filipino men and women who dream of joining the Army study and train in this prestigious place of learning. The picture I used in this layout was taken in the said place. The four guys in the family had their picture taken in front of the bronze emblem of the PMA. Four generation of Tarrancos - my Dad Erick, my son Zion, my brother Philip, and my grandfather Lolo Pilo.

Credits for this layout: Sweet Afternoon by Sunshine Studio Scraps; Spring Mini Kit by Kevin and Amanda.com; Amazing Ruler font available at Kevin and Amanda.com;

June 2K10 Calendar Layout

The month of June marks the end of summer here in the Philippines. Rains have started pouring in, and parents start to prepare their kids for the start of another school year. June is also Father's Day month, and incidentally, it is also the birthmonth of my grandfather Lolo Pilo. So for my calendar layout this month, I am featuring my grandfather - Lolo Pilo. Lolo Pilo is my Dad's father and he used to be a farmer in our province in Quezon. After my grandmother, Lola Azon, died, my Dad convinced him to stay with us here in Manila so that he could officially "retire" from being a farmer, and to prevent him from having drinking sessions with our other relatives in the province.

Lolo Pilo has a great reputation for being close and loving to his grandchildren (including me!). I remember our trip to Quezon when I was about 5 years old. I wanted to go hiking with my Dad, my uncles, cousins, and my grandparents. However, the hike was difficult given the muddy and slippery mountain roads. Since I wanted to join the hike (and I was already throwing tantrums), Lolo Pilo carried me during the entire hike and on our way down the mountain. He also killed and cooked one of his pet chickens, when we were there, because he knows that I am not fond of seafoods when I was still a kid. My grandfather would always have a special place in my heart. Let this layout be a small token of my gratitude and appreciation of all the things Lolo Pilo has done for me.

Credits for this Layout: Daddy Number 1 Kit from Jaelop Designs; Miss Mint 2010 Caledar Templates from Peppermint Creative;

Enjoying the Long Road

Another place which we visited during our trip to Ilocos was the Patapat Viaduct. The Patapat Viaduct is a loooooong bridge. On one side is the mountains of Ilocos, while on the other side is a raging sea. The long bridge connects the province of Ilocos to the Cagayan Valley. We stopped by the end of the bridge to get some pictures. Some of us walked along the looooong bridge, while the others posed at the middle of the road (there were only a few trucks and vans that were passing that time). My mom and I opted to stay and pose near the bridge, having the long bridge as our background. My brother was more "emo" that time. He doesn't want any picture. So I had to steal a shot from him while he was "thinking about things" while he stood facing the sea.

In fairness to my "emo" brother, it was nice to just stand by the side of the bridge and look over the sea. There's a calming effect when one does it. Personally, it allowed me to breathe in fresh air, relax, and take my mind from the stressful city life.

Journalling: Note to Self: Take time to enjoy the Long Road called LIFE. Patapat Viaduct, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, April 2010.

Credits for this Layout: Without End Collab Kit from Scrapmalin.com; Font: Baby Bostong font available at Kevin and Amanda.com.

Free As The Wind

One of the wonderful places that we visited from our trip to Ilocos last April was the Bangui Windmills in Ilocos Norte. Yes! We have those here in the Philippines! :-) According to one of the locals, the Bangui Windmills are the main suppliers of electricity in the province of Ilocos. If I remembered it correctly, there were around 20 towering windmills in the area, all facing the sea (the locals say it is already the South China Sea). The sight of these windmills was really majestic and breathtaking. Being under one of these gigantic windmills and feeling the sea breeze through your hair and face, one would have an exhilirating feeling of freedom. For all those visiting the northern region of Ilocos, the Bangui Windmills is a must-see landmark.

Journalling: As Free As the Wind.. Bangui Windmills, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, April 2010.

Credits for this layout: Escape Kit by Jayedid Designs; Only by Request font and Fontmoochers font both available at Kevin and Amanda.com;

Memories at Bantay Bell Tower

One of the "highlights" of my somehow-long vacation a few days ago was our trip to Ilocos province, a province located at the northern part of Manila. My mom, my brother, and I went there as part of a travel group which was handled by Travel Factor. We departed Manila on the evening of April 29, and arrived at Ilocos at 6AM of April 30. Our first stop was the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity St. Augustine Parish Church and the Bantay Bell Tower. It was an old church (which dates back to 1590 when the Spanish colonized the country. Coming near or going inside the church and the bell tower, one can see that both are made of solid bricks - a trademark of old Spanish architecture.

It is unfortunate that we don't have a picture inside the bell tower because my Mom had a hard time walking and climbing the long flight of stairs. Nevertheless, we had fun taking serious and wacky pictures (like the one in the layout), having the bell tower as our background.

Watch out for more pictures from our Ilocos trip in my succeeding layouts! It's my way of sharing with my readers/viewers the places they can visit here in the Philippines.

Journalling: MEMORY is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. || Mama * Cherick * Philip - Bantay Bell Tower - Ilocos Sur, Philippines - April 30, 2010.

Credits for this Layout: Starstruck Kit by List West Designs and Digi Diva; MemoriesWAFreebie by Agnieszkag;

May 2K10 Calendar Layout

How fast time flies. My one-and-a-half weeks vacation has come to an end. Back to work. Back to reality. Nevertheless, I can say that I had a great time during that short respite from work. I was able to process and obtain my Solo Parent ID (yehey for additional 7-days paid leave from work!!), was able to have a foot spa, was able to watch Ironman2, was able to travel up north to Ilocos (one of the northern provinces here in the Philippines), and most importantly, I was able to have some quality time with my family and my son, Zion.

Now back to my digital scrapping world. :-) The month of May is usually devoted to one of the most important women in our lives - our mother. Today, March 9, is Mother's Day. For this reason, I chose my Mom as my model for my May 2010 calendar layout. My mom went with me during my trip to Ilocos last April 30. Despite having a hard time walking, she managed to take care of her 2 children (my brother and I) during that loooong travel to Ilocos. One of the first places we've visited was the Bantay Bell Tower in Ilocos Sur. It was really a landmark that should never be missed when one visits the said province. More Ilocos pictures to come in my next layouts!! :-)

Credits for this layout: Family Ties Collab Kit by Jak-ART-a Scrappers; Love WordArt by Thaty Borges Designs; Calendar Template by Peppermint Creative;

Put Your Head on my Shoulder

I am on the 3rd day of my vacation which started last Monday. As I've mentioned in my previous post, I took some time off from work, to relax and unwind, to take care of some things here at home, and of course to spend some quality time with my son, Zion. I remember the last time we had a real mother-and-son bonding time was during his Moving Up activity from Toddler Playschool. He was awarded the Little Mr. Newscaster award because of his fondness for talking and telling interesting and funny stories to his teachers and classmates. After the school activity, we had a small celebration. It was also my brother's graduation from high school, so my Mom and I decided to have a sort-of double celebration - for my brother's graduation from high school, and Zion's moving up from Toddler Playschool to the much formal level of Nursery (this coming June). Since it was loooong and hectic day, Zion was really exhausted at the end of the small party. As expected, after all the hustle and bustle and his being hyperactive, he would end up carrying him, as he slowly dozes off to sleep while resting on my shoulder.

Journalling: Always remember this moment.

Credits for this layout: Sahabat Lama Kit by Jak-ART-a Scrappers; Moments WordArt by Agnieszkag;

It's A Boy Thing

One of the recent places we've been to last Holy Week was the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan. If you're that kind of person which loves old Philippine architecture, then this is the place for you. It features famous old houses, mostly from the Luzon area, which were reconstructed in the said resort. The owner, as he was described by our tour guide, was sort of "house collector" - wherein he buys old houses, bring down the house piece by piece, and reconstruct it in the said resort. Talk about an expensive hobby! Tee hee!! :-)

Well, it appears that my son Zion, my brother, and my cousin had a great time, as seen in the photos used in this layout. They may be boys, and may be quite indifferent while I was marveling at the old houses, but they sure know how to appreciate good places (and good photo venues) when they see one.

Journalling: It's a Boy thing...

Credits for this layout: Boys2Men Kit by Snowsmoon Designs; BoysBoys WordArt by Kellie's Kreations;

Mama and Me

I don't always have a 100% perfect and smooth-sailing relationship with my Mother. In fact, when I was younger, we've had our share of arguments and fights. I was the silent rebellious type of daughter while my Mom was the perfectionist type who always wanted things to be on schedule and in order. But as I was growing up, and when I eventually became a mother myself, it was then that I understood my Mom. It was then that I realized that Mama was not an enemy, but instead, she was an ally whose heart was always with her children, despite our being little monsters and silent rebels. She had that soft spot within her, that wasn't present in my disciplinarian Dad. And for this, I am slowly looking at my Mom in a different way. I am happy that it didn't took me years to see these things. Iam thankful to God for giving me Mama. She may not be the perfect Mother, but the heck, I am not a perfect daughter, and nobody's perfect in the first place. Despite of her imperfections, I am still thankful for her for trying her best to raise me in an upright manner, and for never giving up on me, despite my imperfections.

Credits for this layout: My Mother Tagger Size Kit by Tootsie's Creationz available at Kreative Kreations Korner.

What Is A Mother?

I was watching my parents earlier as we were strolling in the mall. Today, they are celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary. Supposed to be, only the two of them (my mom and dad) has room reservations in a posh hotel here in Manila. But with the recent earthquake attacks in various parts of the world, my Mom urged (and even nagged) my Dad to book another room so that the entire family (i.e. my brother, moi, Zion, my cousin, and even Zion's nanny) can be with them in case an earthquake occurs this weekend. *God forbid!* My brother and I were initially laughing because of my Mom's paranoia, and my Dad was quite irked because he was paying the additional room. But now that I am creating this blog entry and relaxing here in our hotel room, I am thankful to my Mom for bringing us here. Well.. not really because of any earthquake.. but just for the simple thought that she always remember us, her children (and her grandchild Zion as well). My brother and I are all grown-up now, but somehow, my Mom's love and concern doesn't fade as we age. We are still her children, deserving of her love and concern, regardless of what age we're in. And for this, I want to thank Mama, not only for letting us enjoy these simple luxuries, but for the genuine concern and affection she shows us.

Journalling: 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

Credits for this layout: My Mother Tagger Size Kit by Tootsie's Creationz available at Kreative Kreations Korner.

March 2K10 Calendar Layout

For my March 2K10 calendar layout, I am featuring my Dad. He'll be celebrating his 59th birthday on Tuesday (March 9). When I was growing up, I used to be a Daddy's girl. Whenever my Mom and I are having fights, my Dad would oftentimes intervene, to my delight and to my Mom's fury. Yet despite my being a Daddy's girl, I have a great respect (and fear) of my Dad because he is also a disciplinarian. He uses sort of a "carrot-and-stick" approach when I was growing up. He knows when to "spoil me" but he doesn't hesitate to spank me with his dreaded leather "sinturon" (i.e. belt) whenever I misbehave. He has set the bar when it comes to my grades in school by providing incentives (such as 100 pesos for every 87 and above grade on my report card) for me study harder. And now that I am a grown-up, I am thankful to my Dad for instilling that discipline in me. I may have failed in some aspects in my life but I guess because of the discipline and determination that my father has inculcated in me, I am still able to face and overcome most of the challenges life throws upon me. And for this reason, I am thankful to my Dad. Advance Happy Birthday Daddy! May God continue to bless you with long life, good health, and happiness always. I love you!

Journalling: A father is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way.

Credits for this layout: Choco Comfort Collab Kit available at Aprilisa Designs. WordArt by Tina Chambers available at Digital Scrapbook Place

Erick & Ching @ 33

If there is one reason why I still believe Love exists, despite my not-so-nice experiences in it, it would definitely be my parents. I have seen my parents literally and figuratively grow old and mature together. Of course there is no perfect relationship, and even my parents have had their share of fights and arguments, but the good times always outweighed the bad. They may have had their rough moments, but they somehow managed to make things work, raise two stubborn kids (and now helping their daughter raise another stubborn kid, in the form of their grandson Zion), and keep the house strong. Come March 6, my mom and dad will be celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary. It may be a long way to their golden anniversary, but I am proud to say that 33 years is not a bad number of years to say that my parents have definitely shown what Love is all about.

Credits for this layout: My Romance Kit by Caroline B. avaialable at Kreative Kreations Korner.

Home * Family * Blessing

Here's another layout which features some more pictures which I took when the year 2010 ushered in. It featured my mom & dad, bonding moments among the "tres Enriques" (my dad, my brother, and my son), my grandfather together with his great grandchildren (i.e. Zion, and my niece and nephew), my grandfather together with his grandchildren (i.e. my brother, I, my cousin and his wife); and at the center is a picture of me and my son. I must say that this new year is one of the happiest new year celebrations my family had. The kids (i.e. Zion, and my nice and nephew) were not even scared when the firecrackers started to explode. My grandfather laughed with his great grandchildren. My mom and dad were, as always, cheerful as the new year entered. My brother was quite sleepy minutes before 12MN, but we managed to "drag" him out of his bed and celebrate with us. As for me, well, I made the necessary superstitious preparations to bring in good luck for 2010 - wore red, had coins and bills in all of my pockets, and was munching on a bunch of grapes (round fruits). Hopefully, 2010 would be a lot better than 2009! Let's all hope for the best! :-)

Journalling: Having some place to go is HOME; Having someone to love is FAMILY; Having both is a BLESSING.

Credits for this layout: Home Kit by Just Jessa Designs available at Kreative Kreations Korner; IOTW Extras WordArt by Tina Chambers available at Creating Keepsakes.

Happy Family

When the year 2010 ushered in, I took pictures of our family. I try to do this every time the new year sets in. Somehow it reminds me to be thankful because my family and I had survived another year, and we are together in facing whatever comes in the new year. It is also nice to compare how we look, how we grew (or aged... hehehe...) in just a span of 12 months - most especially Zion. It's amazing to see what 3 years can do to my little angel. *sigh*...

Journalling: A happy family is but an earlier heaven. - George Bernard Shaw.

Credits for this layout: Home Kit by Just Jessa Designs available at Kreative Kreations Kornerl WordArt from Bethany Elegant Word Art.