Dad and Me Camp Year 2

C left for the camping grounds uncertain about why he had agreed to go camping - again. As he kissed me good-bye, he muttered under his breath, “why did I say yes to this again?” The dreadful memory of last year’s camping trip at the Rizal Recreation Center giving him reservations.

This year’s camp was at Camp Explore in Antipolo, inside the Mount Purro Nature Reserve, at the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain ranges.

The camp facilitators prepared a jungle and survival training course for the participants patterned after the TV show, Survival. The whole group was divided into ten teams, each composed of eight fathers and their kids. Each team was required to complete the ten stations, with each station having one physical and one mental challenge. Challenges consisted of tasks requiring endurance, agility, teamwork and problem solving skills.

Some of the outdoor recreation the camp offers:

As with the TV show, the teams competed against each other for luxuries; in this case, sleeping
accommodations. Housing was dependent on how the ten teams fared in the challenges. Accommodations were a choice of either a cottage (with single beds and an ensuite bathroom) or a cabin (where sleeping is tatami style). Fortuitously, their team completed the challenges competently as to score their own room – with a mattress and their own private bathroom.

Come dinner time, their team got lucky again as one of their teammates turned out to have his own catering company and did a superb job of steaming the rice inside the bamboo chamber and grilling the chicken and pork to perfection.

The cool mountain wind is sufficiently breezy; the temperature at night is chilly that, even with the ceiling fan turned off, most of the campers are wrapped in jackets, and come sleeping time, bundled up in blankets.

C came home humbly admitting that his misgivings about the camp at the start of the trip was unwarranted. The activities were well-planned, the motivational speakers were very engaging, and coffee was served in the main hall 24/7. There was a good balance between the daytime rigors of a camp-out and the convenience and comfort of sleeping inside a cottage, on a mattress for a night time respite. He is now looking forward to next year's camp. He said that this gave him and J a chance to grow closer while strengthening their relationship with God.

His FB wall says it all: "Spend some time and get to know your child, it is an investment that has a recurring payout for life."

image credits:  John Ong Photography and Gemma Cheng

Me and Dad Camp

I am home alone with the 2 younger kids for this weekend, C and J went on a "Dad and Me" camping trip - their second in two years. As with the first camping trip, it is J who is really looking forward to it, C just goes along with her... dragging his feet. :)

Same time last year, C was very proud to report to me that he was one of the first dads to put up the tent. I remember...

They returned to their tent late afternoon, planning to take a well-deserved respite from the afternoon's activities, only to find that the heavy downpour had found a way inside their "water-proof" tent. Everything was soaking wet. From the sleeping bags that they attentively laid out, the bags that they thoughtfully placed at the sides of the tent to make way for ease of entry, to the shirts, toiletries and cooking/grilling utensils. To make matters worse, the 4 sides of the tent not covered by the rain trap were now also dripping with water.

She persisted in encouraging him to go out and ask if someone had an extra tent, "Come on, dad, it never hurts to ask," she prodded. And luckily, the camp had one more tent to spare - and it was the last one! C admitted later on that were it not for her encouraging spirit, he was just about ready to give up and head home already. Of course, being a parent, he did not want to show any reaction other than a positive one. But J is perceptive with emotions, it has always been her gift that she could read through people easily. Poor C! He had to take down the drenched tent and put up the new one.

It was lights out at the camping ground by 10pm. Everybody was tired and retreated to their tents, ready to call it a night. A few minutes before midnight, J woke up and wanted to go to the bathroom. It was raining lightly as they stepped out of their tent to make way to the toilet which was nearby. Lightning helped illuminate what would otherwise be a dark path. As luck would have it, the drizzle quickly turned into a downpour as they made their way back to the tent. The uproar made by the thunder competed with the noise that the heavy rain water made as it plowed into the ground. J worried about the lightning striking them as they go to sleep, however, she was swiftly assured by C that no such thing would happen. Taking his word to heart, she was soon sound asleep.

C came home learning a whole lot about J. And he is so proud of the way she turned out. She was an encourager, who kept him focused on the positive side of things, even as they faced disaster upon disaster at the camp site. She was a joyful companion who kept things light and easy with her animated banter and silly jokes. A considerate and undemanding girl who always thinks of her friends and loved ones. She may not always put their needs before hers, but she is always perceptive of their wants and tolerant of their shortcomings.

I am excited to have them back home tomorrow night and hear their camp stories. Already, I know it is a different adventure as they updated me this afternoon that they tried the zipline activity.



Image credit: JAOPhotography

Laiya Batangas: Acuatico Beach Resort

We started our drive to Batangas at 4am, the dusky sky at a standstill, showing no sign of emerging sun-up. The kids are awake and excited, although I wished for them to fall back to sleep as I do not have the unbridled energy to match theirs at this unholy hour of the day. As expected of a Holy Week excursion, the travel took around 4 hours, not counting the breakfast stop-over.

Due to its proximity to Manila, the province of Batangas is the primary preference for urban dwellers wanting to take off on a sojourn. The number of white sand beaches in the province are widely scattered throughout the different municipalities. The road that runs north and south through the west coast of the province has the famous Matabungkay Beach which can be found in the northern province of Lian; still farther up north is Nasugbu where the very exclusive Punta Fuego is situated; Calatagan can be found downward south, home of the country’s cable ski park and resort, Lago de Oro. On the south-eastern boundary, in the province of San Juan, is the salt-water Laiya beach.

The Laiya shoreline is a seven kilometer strip of white sandy shores and warm azure water, nestled behind the peaks of the conspicuous Mt.Daguldol. The Laiya beach (pronounced as La-i-ya) is situated along the coast of Sibayan Bay and Verde Island Passage, which lay claim to having the peak concentration of marine life in the world as appraisedby the World Conservation Union.

The white sand this beach offers is, in reality, a far cry from the powdery smooth sand of Boracay; the Laiya sand is rough and coarse, more like the collection of very tiny pebbles you put at the bottom of a terrarium. Nonetheless, the water is clean and incredibly clear, so no worries.

Inspite of the rutted quality of the sand, C and I enjoyed walking along the shoreline. As soon as the sun breaks the monotony of the sky with her sprinkles of yellow, we are off to the beach. I thought of it as having some exercise combined with foot exfoliation. :)

The kids, though, were not too keen on it. J and R, although not that enthusiastic to walk on the sand, did not mind a short leisurely walk. B was a different thing all together. She was all up in arms, "Why do I have to walk on the sand?" Her stubbornness showing itself, "I won't walk! Even if you leave me alone!"

Ok, if she says so...

But C doesn't really have a choice ...

There were a lot of tiny sand crabs leaping about in the glistening wet sand. C and R spend a few minutes catching these shy yet speedy little creatures. It's tricky to do and it is best done by scooping the tiny crab hiding inside the moundful of sand and sifting the sand until the crab reveals itself. Of course, as soon as they were done with it, they wished the crabs bon voyage and returned them to the sand so they can go back to where they belong!

Although Acuatico doesn’t have the wide and spacious frontage that other resorts have, it lays claim to having the best pool among the Laiya resorts, or even the whole of Batangas, for that matter. The pool area itself is divided in four parts: the Jacuzzi is nearest the dining area, followed by the kiddie pool, and a wading pool with a floating bar in the middle, and finally the pièce de résistance - the infinity edge pool that looks out to the open sea.

The first phase of the resort has several Balinese inspired villas of different sizes built on both sides of the pool. The rooms are sparsely furnished and modestly sized with a choice of either 2 twin-sized beds or one queen bed. An extra twin-sized bed can be arranged for P700.00. There are LCD TV provided for every villa, with the bigger villas getting two units.

We stayed at Estancia, a three-bedroom villa, the biggest in the resort and with the best location. It allows you to step right out of the villa door and into the infinity pool. We were lucky to get the room on the second floor as it afforded us some privacy, and the exclusive use of our own LCD TV. The verandah provides a panoramic view of the resort and the sea. However, there was only one bathroom in the entire villa and it is located on the first floor. It was a minor hassle going down in the middle of the night to go take a pee. C always has issues with the bathroom - everywhere we go. He just about panicked when he found out that there was only one bathroom to be shared by 10 kids and 6 adults.

The second stage of the resort is put up in the structure housing the dining hall, far away from the beach. It features 7 more rooms with accommodations similar to a modern hotel, with a refrigerator and a bathroom in every room. Although the rooms here are more spacious, they offer a limited view of the pool and the sea.

Each villa has a well-manicured tropical garden which we easily managed to turn into a hodge-podge of clutter….

The resort is undoubtedly the priciest among the Laiya resorts, but discriminating guests can see that the steep price went into the exclusivity and the small niceties the resort provided. The resort has a maximum guests limit of 60 persons; this means less intrusion and more relaxation. I appreciate all the fine and luxurious details like the faint scent which lingers on your skin after you use their translucent and highly-glycerinated soap infused with green tea essence; the velvety soft bed sheets; the restful sleep that a good quality mattress can bring about.

The kids also enjoyed the use of the water activities which came at no extra cost.

They were in the water for a good 30 minutes before I noticed that the girls had taken over at the helm, and were pedaling – with their legs up in the air! While the boys were busy at the back … scooping out water off the boat.

Luckily, the resort had several lifeguards on duty that went out to bail them before their boat filled up with water.

We didn't really have time to pose for a family pic as everyone was too busy having fun. This photo is only one of two taken during our entire 3-day stay. We will definitely be back!

Sun, Sea and Shameless Vanity

The fact that I live in a tropical country where the beaches are just a good one-hour trip away doesn’t take away the sad reality that I have yet to master the art of looking good at the beach. But I try – every year, I tell you! Let me forewarn you, though, that after everything has been done…. No, I still don’t really look like the beach babe that I desire to be… only (more and more each year) like the mom of three that I actually am. Still, a girl has to try! :)

We are off to the beach tomorrow and here I am sharing with you the steps I’ve taken (in vain) to look a teensy-bit better::

1. Get a head start on my tan.

In the beach, a healthy sun kissed glow is always the best fashion accessory. For the past four years now, I have managed to look like a beach sweetie, thanks to my triumvirate of L’Oreal self-tanners.

A few days before our departure, I start slathering on L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Lotion in Medium Natural Tan everyday to build up my sunless tan. It usually takes around three to four applications to get the golden color that I like.

At around the same time, I also use the Sublime Bronze FACE on my face and neck to make sure that I have an even tan all over.

   

On the day of departure I always make sure to wake up a few minutes earlier to make sure I apply L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Gelee in Medium Natural Tan. This dual-action bronzer and self-tanning lotion is one of my favorite products. It delivers an instant glow and builds up the existing (sunless) tan I have with a hint of glimmer.

2. Paint toe nails in a vivid summery color.

3. Wax/shave legs, underarms and bikini area the night before.

4. On the beach, apply sun block with high SPF at least 30 minutes 

before sun exposure and re-apply every 2 hours.

I use VMV's Armada Sport SPF70. It is quite expensive, but I am taking them up on their claim that their formula "creates a unique barrier-film, an invisible virtual second skin that stays on skin's surface to maintain protection integrity in and out of water, and while exposed to harsh sun and heat."

I usually put on Armada first and after letting my skin absorb it for a few minutes, I layer on L'Oreal's tinted self tanner. The tinted gel leaves my skin with an instant glittery shimmer that stays on until I shower or take a dip in the pool, unlike the glitter sprays or powders.

5. Massage hair with a deep moisturizing conditioner and put it up in a messy bun.

6. Acessorize (and protect) with a good pair of shades offering UV protection and a wide brimmed straw hat.

 

7. Remember that the best thing to wear on the beach is a SMILE!

When The Darkness Closes In

I am in a very sad place right now.   Someone very close to my family suffered a horrible, heart-breaking, senseless tragedy.  This experience cries so clearly for divine intervention, for healing, for recovery from emotional and physical pain, not only for the individual concerned but for everyone involved in it. My dialogue with God this week has mostly been pleading for Him to intervene miraculously, and asking a lot of questions on how to make sense of this.  There are numerous what-ifs playing in my head, as copious as the prayers I offer.  But in the end, C always reminds me that bad things happen as a consequence of the freedom that comes with the gift of life.  Yet, it is hard for me to understand that concept at a time such as this. 

Blessed Be Your Name has always been one of my favorite worship songs.   There have been plentiful times in the past where I have been so touched by this inspiring song; brought to tears simply by just listening to it.  It helps me to listen to this song because it ministers to me that God needs to be praised when the blessing overflow as well as when we are in the road full of suffering.   Painful circumstances can either bring us closer to God or break us away from our faith.  My favorite verse from the song:   Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise, When the darkness closes in, Lord still I will say:  Blessed be the name of the Lord.  

Listen to the song with me...

Blessed Be Your Name

In the land that is plentiful

Where Your streams of abundance flow

Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name

When I'm found in the desert place

Though I walk through the wilderness

Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out

I'll turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name

When the sun's shining down on me

When the world's 'all as it should be'

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name

On the road marked with suffering

Though there's pain in the offering

Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out

I'll turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord, blessed be Your name

From the events of the last 24 hours, it would seem that the miracle that everyone is praying for would not happen.   Nothing is final until God says it is, but it would seem that the "miraculous intervention" that God is agreeable to give is not the same divine intercession we are asking for.    It appears that God’s “intervention” in this horrible event is to be "by our side," to understand, to comfort, to "lead beside still waters and restore our soul" (taken from Psalm 23).  I have grown certain after listening to the song that God's task is to help everyone collect the pieces broken by this incident. 

When everyone involved in this experience prayed at the beginning of this week, we asked God to heal and give her back "whole." I still remember the conversation I had with JP just two days ago, as I called him up for an update.  He told me to not visit that day anymore and instead help him pray that "ibalik siya ng buo."   JP, I just want to tell you that God listened to all of our prayers and scooped her up in His loving and comforting embrace – He did not let go and He made her whole again; whole as she was created to be from the beginning by this loving God.  Only now she is going to a more beautiful and perfect place…

She Made It!

We got to the Ateneo a little past 6 that Sunday morning.  The 12 and under girls are scheduled to go at 8am, so J had more than enough time to have her body marked, slather on sun block and even chat with her team mates.  Unlike her recent soccer competition, she now listened to the voice of experience and ate the piece of banana her coach handed her. 

Here she is waiting for the go mark.

I was happy with her performance in the pool.  She showed some quick-thinking as she moved diagonally to the next lane after touching the wall to cut time.  I noticed that the other first-timers touched the wall and moved parallel to the wall to shift lanes. 

She needs a lot of work to improve her transition time.  The task of taking off her goggles and swim cap, tying on her laces took her over 2 minutes.  It did her well that she had the good sense to put on her singlet while she was moving to the run leg of the race;  this shaved off a few seconds from her finish time.

Sorry for the bad quality of the photos below.  I want to post them, still,  because they show so much of who she is...  being able to laugh at a time when others would quickly despair.  I love it that she finds time to smile as she desperately struggled to put on her over-sized singlet.  Although she got a size small already, it was obviously still too big for her; the sleeves and length dwarfing her lithe frame. 

For the sake of recording her performance for future reference...  Her race stats are:  400m swim: 9min 15 sec; transition: 2min 23sec; 3k run:  25min 05sec.  Total race time:  36min 43sec.  It's not a spectacular finish, but she is very happy to have participated in it.  I am so proud of her for finishing it!

She made it!

Happy Seventh!

It’s B’s seventh birthday today. And so this post is dedicated to her.

She is the sweetest girl who gives the bestest hugs. “Hugs and kisses, mommy’’ she’d always call out with both of her tiny arms out-stretched before she affectionately wraps them around my neck. She would always gently hold me for a few seconds longer to give way to a good, tight squeeze. She’d pull away momentarily, only to reel me back in again for a kiss on the cheek, “I love you mom.” That is her trademark hug. They tell me, without any need for words ,that she appreciates my love and care, and she wishes me to feel she loves me back.

She brightens up my day with her delightful sweetness and willful individuality. Yep, she’s the kind of girl who asserts her right to be heard - quite aggressively. Yes, she never hesitates to speak her mind out and she has left me speechless a couple of times; and if you hear her lead the the night time prayers, you will agree that she talks tirelessly, indeed; and she is sure to give her dad and me quite a few headaches in the very near future as she discovers crushing on someone this early!

Once, she spent the night at my parents and my youngest sister found out for herself as B tirelessly talked non-stop and monopolized the conversation at the table– for the whole duration of dinner. Yesterday my sister handed her birthday gift to B, and it says on the tag: “To my niece. Happy Birthday to our little pain in the neck… who gives the sweetest greetings and hugs!”

It is no joke to be trapped riding in a car with her, because once she starts taking, there is no stopping – seriously! I was in the middle of a convoluted traffic jam when I found all her noise talking a little bit distracting, so I cut her off midsentence to tell her that she could be likened to a radio… without an OFF button. She paused for a second… and squinted her eye… and tucked her bottom lip under her top teeth… and folded her arms… and continued talking. There are a lot more accounts to chronicle the cheeky life-force that is B, but this is her day and I will refrain myself and post them another day. :)

After weeks of thinking of a theme for her birthday cake, she finally found one a few days ago... Sanrio's Sugarbunnies, it is! We do not have any Sugarbunnies character toys at home, and Estrel's is swamped with too many customers nowadays that they do not accept elaborate made to order cakes anymore. I just made these toppers on photoshop to make the cake go with her preferred theme. I cut these toppers into rounds and stick them onto toothpicks.

You can tell by the look on her face that she likes her cake...

Happy seventh, B! You really are the sweetest. And your hugs truly make my day, everyday! I love you!

FOLLOW ME!   

        

Sooner Than Planned

Looks like J will be doing her first Aquathlon sooner than planned.  She had originally wanted to participate in Alaska’s IronKids Philippine edition, which was scheduled for May this year, but her swimming coach signed up the whole team for the Ateneo Aquathlon this coming March 14, 2010.  That is about exactly less than a week from today.

She has been doing land training on top of her usual swimming regimen to prepare for this.  She is excited and I do not want to put any additional pressure, but I do remind her to do her best (you know, with eyes glaring and all).  She is registered to do the Aquathlon Classic under the 12 & under age category.  Participants in this event will have to complete a 600m swim and a 6km run to finish the race, except for the 12& under age group which will only have to do a 400m swim and a 3k run.

She will have to transverse 2 rounds of the Ateneo’s own first-class indoor Loyola Schools Swimming Pool (25m long), which makes for 16 laps, to complete 400m during the swim leg.

 

 After completing the swim, she has to cover the distance of 3k around the Ateneo campus.

Although I haven't had any experience doing an Aquathlon, I have my own running experience to share with her.  I particularly remind her almost everyday for the past week, before she starts running off to join her team mates, that...

"it is important to not go out too hard at the beginning of each leg. Race your race, and do not worry about what other racers are doing. My motto is always:  Start slow and finish strong!  It is also important to re-hydrate the body during the race.  I make it a point to stop at every water station and take a sip of water, even if it means adding a few seconds or even minutes to my race time.  Running during this scorching hot summer month can leave our body as dry as a lizard in the desert. Refueling the body with liquid will help us feel great and run fast.  And no matter what, stay relaxed during the race and enjoy every minute of it!  Good luck, Achi!"

SuperBabyFood

A friend and co-parent from B's class gave birth a few days ago.  I haven't found time to visit with her yet and will do so in a week's time, after the kids are done with school.  There was no one to pick up her daughter today so I offered to take her home.  And I asked her how well she liked her new baby brother.  "He is always crying that I cannot sleep," she complained.  Oh, how I DO NOT miss those days!


What I do remember, though, was that when B and R were still infants, I was made aware of the existence of this wonderful book called SuperBabyFood. It made feeding the kids so much easier; I knew what I was feeding them, and everything is as close to the source as possible (read: no preservatives).  And so I followed most of the author's suggestions with some exemptions, taking into account my kids' predisposed tendencies to certain allergens. It helped me shape my kids eating patterns and preferences that I highly recommend this book to everybody.

I remember every Monday afternoon was Super Vegetables Production Day. The yaya would cook lentils or split peas; steam broccoli, carrots and asparagus; and mash some avocados and papayas. She would then blend them in a food processor, and freeze them in ice cube trays. Once frozen, we transfer them to an individually labeled airtight container to keep in the freezer for our week's supply. We then mix these super healthy food cubes with our table food. We did this for about 3 years. And that has really done me well.  Five years down the line, the 2 younger ones snack on plain yogurt like it is ice cream, and second servings on broccoli for dinner is the norm in our dining table.  But chocolates and other cavity inducing treats are also eaten in high frequency, usually headed by the Dad. :)

I remember an incident when I took R with me to have lunch at my folks' two year ago. Lunch consisted on steamed fish, fried porkchops, and for soup, beef bulalo. Now R has a boy's appetite so asking for seconds is really nothing new, and is in fact, expected. He asked for a second serving of the soup, and emphasized that he wanted more of the green vegetables (bok choy and cabbage, actually) and then asked for a third, and a fourth, until my mom's cook went inside the dining room to inform us that R has finished all the vegetables already, there was none to give anymore. Upon finding out that there was none anymore, he suspiciously started eyeing the spring onions and leeks that were served as garnish on the fish, and asked if he could have some of those instead! Hainaku!

In another instance, B has appointed herself the school's canteen police. She is conscientiously labeling the food being served as healthy or junk, and of course getting into a discussion with the "ate" with regard as to why hotdogs are being served to the kids.

I would want for her to bring her own food but then her pre school requires everyone to pay for the canteen service for the the first 2 months of the schoolyear - regardless of whether you it eat or not.  Of course, when I tried to get out of that arrangement due to her numerous food allergies, the girl behind the counter told me that I can just pay for the 2-month canteen service even if I let my daughter bring her own snacks. Huh? What kind of logic is that? That said. I am now having the ultimate revenge as B continues to be the resident canteen police.

She recently relayed the conversation that they had, seemingly asking for a confirmation from me that she is right.

B: Ate cel, why are you serving hotdogs? It's junk food, right?

A: No, it's not.

B: But, right, it has a lot of preservatives?

A:  Hmmm.  (and turns the other way)

Image credit:  Julia Silge

Good Boy With Bad Habits: Should Boys Be Allowed To Play With Girls' Toys?

R is lucky that he has 2 sisters, and thus the opportunity to play with toys that are on both side of the gender spectrum always presents itself.  I believe they make for a well-rounded person.  While he is naturally drawn to toy cars, train sets, and dinosaurs; he doesn’t shy away from cooking and baking sets, dolls, and other toys you might consider girly.

One afternoon, I caught him playing Polly Pockets… Action Star Polly, that is. Rapelling down the strings of the window blinds.

Run, Polly, Run….

And, she jumps off the cliff!

Even Polly seems to agree that she is in one big mess...

Still at another time, B’s teddy bear, Sparkle, was the unfortunate recipient of his attention…

Idle hands....

  

 

Poor Sparkle, didn't know what hit him....

Here he is in between sobs, after B found out what he did to her poor Sparkle...

 

As you can see I do not believe in labeling toys as exclusively for girls or boys.  That unjustified bias that society has shoved on us has no place in the world of kids play where imagination should be the only rule.  It is perfectly normal in our household for my li'l man to drop his Transformers to play with his sister's dolls the next moment.  I just relax and let go.  He still lives in a world free from society's prejudices, and as long as his innocent play doesn't hurt himself or those around him, I let him be.  These are probably the best years of his life - and mine, too!