Happy Valentines Week!

Monday

Prepping up valentines celebration and my little bro's prom. Busied myself with phone inquiries to hotels in makati. As expected fully booked na ang mga hotels for the 14th. Fortunately, I was able to get a two-bedroom deluxe suite at the Ascott hotel (historically known as Oakwood hotel).


Tuesday

Pre-valentines lunch date with meeh husband at the Peninsula Manila. We arrived 30 minutes before their final call so we did not end feeling the "just-from-the-buffet" bloat. Splurged on japanese food, chicken, fish, and yummy yummy cheesecakes (pastries and chocolates at the pen are a must). As I was enjoying my food, can't help but eavesdrop on the lawyers insider scoop about the zte deal and the lozada testimonies. Won't detail anything here, baka may accidentally may mapunta dito na kung sino, makulong pako or ipatawag sa senate hehehe. On our way out, there was a press conference being held at the ground floor. Naku! ano ba to? magkakagulo na naman yata sa Pilipinas. Politicians, armed men, patrol cars all over the place. (geez!)


Wednesday

DVD day with the Wokas. Prepared lloyd's favorite buffalo wings for lunch and special chicken fingers for dinner. Happy because they loved mi labore amore (huh?). Watched Stardust and films of Eugene Valdez, angee's favorite. Sus ang hitad, tawa ng tawa gusto na talagang mag-asawa hehe. Sobrang tawa ng tawa grabe! Tina arrived in time to do commentaries and criticisms on the movie Paano kita Iibigin ... tins, asshole talaga mga lalaki ... and the whole congregation said, amen! Sayang wala si jouh.



Thursday

Valentines Day MISMO. Started my day at Dangwa. Got Renan a bouquet of dozen fresh roses for his girlfriend and another dozen for Lanz for him to give to the 'special women' in his life. Want to teach him the importance of valentine's day na kahit tumanda na sha, he would still make his wife, important someones, feel special. (How I wish I would also feel really special) Kakatuwa sa dangwa! Parang lahat ng tao in-lurve, grabeh! (haayyyy). Highschool boys, guys in corporate attire, mamang ano na naka-dirty havana slippers, lolos, goon-looking guys, decent gay-looking guys ... and other forms of the male species ... giving their creative juices to the masterpieces that they were trying to form out of the beautiful flowers surrounding them. Grabeh! Was so happy to witness their heart-struck eyes welling with love. Ramdam na ramdam ko yung love and sweetness that emanates from their actions, aura, words, and their determinism to come up with the best looking bouquet. Haaayyyy! Ang sweet, sweet nila. So, so, soooooo lucky ng mga babae sa buhay nila. Literally, naging berde ako sa inggit. Bakit bako nasa gitna ng mga ito?? =(


Heniweis, when i got home Lanz was all smiles. Told him 'Lanz, bought flowers for you to give ms. ces.' "Finally!" he answered. Heto cute. On his way to his school bus, as he was meeting up with his tomboy bus helper, he went back to get another rose, 'mom i need one more ... for avel! She's also a girl! With a high-pitched tone yan ah. That made me proud, obviously, the seed of thoughtfulness has already settled in his heart.

At 2pm, ate joan, lexi miel, and I boarded the train to go to Ascott Hotel where my moms entourage have already checked-in. And of course my little girl being her first time to train-ride was wide-eyed, and suplada also. She was so taray with the kids beside her. Snapping at one baby, telling her "No, no shouting baby!" She hugged herself, practically getting hold of both her arms and shoulders just so her skin wouldn't rub at any of the kids' bodies. Hay sus no, kanino kaya nagmana ito? hehehe

When we got to Ascott, Mama was in the master's bedroom, renan and his classmates were in the other room, and boyc was watching tv on the couch and all of them greeted us with a very satisfied grin. Ganda ganda ng room namin and the whole hotel, sariwang sariwa pa ang Ascott compared to other five star hotels here in the metro. Basta two-thumbs up sa akin ang Ascott. We ate the bread talk stuff that I bought while lexi opened all the doors that she can open, closets, safe, bathrooms, laundry room, kitchen cabinets, basta she just happily and excitedly loitered around. 5 pm more of renan's classmates arrived. They started preparing and getting dressed for their prom at the Intercontinental Hotel just a stone's-throw away from Ascott. We were so kilig, lalo na si mama, when renan was finally all dressed. And wow, what a stage family we are! Lahat gusto pa-picture with renan, hehehe. Pano binata na si bunsuy! =)

We went to the maxx when meg, mama, and I still went to intercon to watch renan's prom (kakahiya!). Buti na lang, there was a gallery of parents also watching the event. Uso na talaga stage parents ngayon. So "in" kami =). Renan sat next to his girlfriend??? na anak ng mataray na teacher ko nung grade 5. Acted as ate photographer, squeezed my big self amidst the limited and prohibited spot where people can take pics. Renan kept on looking for us, particularly mama. What I like about my bro, he is very expressive and vocal of his love for our mom. He consistenly texts, private message, and verbally tell mama how much he loves her. I know deep in my heart that he is going to be a good husband because he really loves and takes care of our mama. Not only that, pati sa akin and kay meg he expresses his gratitude and love for us also. Thanks to our mom for planting the seed of God and the seed of Love in our hearts. I hope I can do the same with my kids. Anyways, all in all okay naman prom ni renan, its just that i found it unfair na not everybody was able to participate in the cotillion. Buti na lang Renan was part of it. Kawawa yung iba kasi the cotillion is the highlight of all proms, and the others were mere spectators. Tsk tsk tsk. Good thing gwapo bro ko. After Renan's dance, the tres marias went back to Ascott. Lloyd, Lanz, and ate Jinky were already there. And my little Lanz was like one little monkey who kept on jumping on the bed! Lanz's smile was from ear to ear, a hard to please boy, smiling and all pleased. Good, good... masaya ang anak ko. Supposed to eat out but decided to just stay in the room to maximize room rent (medyo ouchy din kasi sa bulsa ni mama) and celebrate valentines there with all-time favorite mcdo. After dinner, jinky, Lloyd and I headed for home while my kids, mama, meg, boyc, joan, and renan's gang spent the night there. As they related wala silang tulog because so many classmates of renan who were checked in other hotels kept on popping in the room. Hanggang 3 am, madami visitors. So masaya talaga.
I didnt get much sleep either. Trangkaso na ito, i told myself when my cough and colds inhibited me of a good night's sleep. So at 4 am, I started preparing food stuff and cooking implements that id be bringing to Ascott. Woke up jinky and we then proceeded to the seaside market in baclaran where i bought more than a couple of kilos of prawns. I also bought this very huge prawn for Lloyd as my valentines gift for him. So we were in front of the hotel room at 5:45 am. After 15 minutes of waiting and ringing the doorbell, joan finally opened the door. Kakatulog-tulog lang pala nila. I then got to work in the kitchen. Steamed the prawns and instructed joan to cook the sisig, and jinky to steam / fry the cheesedogs. After all these, i started setting the table fine dining style (gusto ko kasi gamitin lahat ng stuff na nandun sa room, hehe). As always, I have enjoyed setting the table and putting the kitchen and the dining table look appetizing and exciting. Talaga, eating together has always brought happiness to our family. In short, eating is bonding, or the other way around, bonding is eating, basta kain. We are a happy family of eaters (hehehe). Katuwa, because everybody enjoyed everything that was laid on the table. Saarraapp! As mama kept on saying, 'the good life, the good life'.

So after a full breakfast, with the prompting of lanz, and ginising nya pa si lexi ha, we all went to the swimming pool area. Lanz, Lexi, and tita Meg enjoyed the two jacuzzis and the huge, cold pool, while mama & I relaxed on the comfortable, bright yellow and white striped beach chair. Had fun just by watching my kids enjoyed the pool, played dugong-dugong, posed for pics, and splish-splshed the water.



After an hour, we went back up to the room to start preparing for check-out. Joan was in her element. Talagang she is very happy and efficient in doing stuff like this. Wala shang pinatawad, ultimo tissue na may tatak ng Ascott, di nakalusot. We were rushing to get out of makati, trying to avoid the big rally thats going to transpire in a couple hours. Last pictorial session and at 1145 we were off.




Friday

Checked-out from Ascott. Was down with the FLU. Rested and kept everything low.