A Halloween Treat

Yours truly exerted much effort to make the recent halloween memorable for my kids and their cousins. I prepared some pica pica eatables and freebies for them which will be featured in my other blog.

This is their first ever halloween mini party courtesy of me. Many thanks to Anney whose blog posts really inspired me to organize one.

It was fun, really fun as they wore masks of horrible characters. Next time, I swear to to do a lot better by providing them with costumes, makeup, etc. . . :-D

after the halloween fun, they proceeded to our backyard and helped in arranging the stones for our soon to be mini pond . . .

the fun continued as they posed atop a left over part of a coconut tree in our side yard . . .

the day ended with all of them getting wet after a quick dip in the pool!

Happy halloween, kids!

There will be more next time, promise! :-D

Happy Birthday and Anniversary, Partner!

pre-birthday dinner with kids and nephews at Piyesta Bar

My beloved husband, Arnel, is celebrating his ___th birthday
and I wish him all the best today!

He's a good father to my half a dozen beautiful children
and a very responsible and thoughtful partner for me!

He supports me all the way
and I'm very grateful to God for giving him to me!

Tomorrow's another special day for us
because it's our 18th anniversary as couple in God's and people's eyes!

Months from now we'll become parents of a debutant
and for this blessing we give to God our boundless thanks!

We also thank God for giving us this not so picture perfect but beautiful life
we thank Him for the gift of friends and good life!

We may not be that perfect
but we're trying our best to be the best that we can be!

Looking forward to spending another eighteen long years of togetherness and bliss
with the person I got married to eighteen years ago.

Happy birthday and happy anniversary, partner!
I love you!

For Moms, From a Mom

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.
~Tenneva Jordan

Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials.
~Meryl Streep

Now, as always, the most automated appliance in a household is the mother.
~Beverly Jones

Mother's love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved.
~Erich Fromm

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers.
~Jewish Proverb

Happy Mother's Day, dear Moms!

It's SCWA Family Day Again!

f b 2010
Family Bonding : "Making A Difference"

The Shalom Crest Wizard Academy community will be having their traditional Family Day celebration on Feb. 13, 2009. The celebration will start with a motorcade in the morning and will be capped by Pasundayag(a showcase of talents of parents and children) at 4:00 P.M.

Many exciting activities are in store for parents and kids during the whole day celebration. The SCWA PTCA and Teacher's Core Group already had series of brainstorming sessions in order to come up with new and innovative games intended for the whole family and other household members. We have already discussed and agreed on the mechanics of the following events:

Ball games (basketball & volleyball)
Wall Climbing
Badminton
Darts
Chess
Table Tennis
Parlor Games (SCWA Pinoy Henyo included)
fb 2010 Pautukay (Quiz Bowl for Parents)
Bingo
Mr. & Mrs. Wizard
Popcapella (choral competition)
Yayo Bidahan (for beloved yayos)
Showtime

There will also be Painit ug Kapihan in the morning and lunch fiesta at noon time.


This annual Family day celebration is, of course, spearheaded by the SCWA PTCA,
with the officers (Mrs. Africa, Mr. Galvez, Mrs. Abear, Mrs. Gatan, Mrs. Jalipa and yours truly), on the lead
together with the SCWA Teacher's Core Group composed of
Sirs Joseph, Jovar, Julius & Ryan and
Mesdames Redzma, Jorelene, Ruby, ZAffy, Erma, & Khrezia

with the strong support of
SCWA Faculty and Staff
dear parents and students
and
Mr. & Mrs. Bebot Haw and family!

Tayo na, kita kits sa SCWA Family Day!

Boundless Bonding for the Borelas

Ates Rafee and Tina bonding with each other. . .

I am sharing with you my dear friends some pics taken during our bonding moments with the kids. My eldest daughter is here for a short vacation so we're taking time to spend quality time with them as much as possible. How I wish all my daughters will remain kids forever (wishful thinking on my part, I know!).

Cool Gwen with the father on the background. . .

the aso't pusa trying to be sweet to each other (Tricia and Sam). . .

sweet Jasmine showing her ever reliable partner, Auntie Vangie, how to eat french fries :-)

posing time with Mommy D! (Jasmine says " Someday I'll grow taller than her!")

A Golden Wedding to Remember

September 17, 1959

Engr Leonardo N. Olaer and Ms. Ederlina Dellosa first tied the knot.

50 years after. . .

September 17, 2009
the couple, Nards and Derlie, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a
golden wedding ceremony officiated by Father Nonito Adorable, CP and again witnessed by the same ninongs and ninangs who stood by them 50 years ago. . .

The couple as they marched down the aisle. . .
A picture of bliss. . .

The yummy chocolate wedding cake baked by daughter in law, Leonie.
I learned later from her that she only used five kilos of flour in baking this beautiful cake.
Nice job, Leonie!

Nards and Derlie's children with cousin Rose

The author with fashion icon cousin, Henry O. Montilla of DOLE XI.
He also hosted the very lively program during the reception.

The author with her kids who formed part of the entourage.
Only five of them since the Ate is in Manila.

I consider this 50 years of togetherness of my uncle and aunt simply amazing! This is a clear picture of endless love with a boundless room for patience and understanding. I really admire couples like them and as they move on to a new threshold in their lives, I am praying for their continued good health and good life!

Congratulations to their children and grandchildren for having damn good parents and grandparents!

Numbers of My Life

August 15, 2009, today

10 days from now, my birthday

Let me be the 1st to greet myself a happy birthday!

Life's been good and blissful

42 years all in all

a wife, mother, sister, relative and friend for all.

Blessed with a loving husband

beautiful daughters numbering half a dozen

loving people and friends reaching a thousand.

Our One God is good

for giving me all of you

and the gift of life with you!

My Baby Sam's Big Day

It is my baby Sam's birthday today!
We're having spaghetti, ice cream and chickenjoy. . .
These are simple Sam's simple joys. . .

Sam's my fifth baby. . .
She always makes mom happy. . .
For her siblings, she is a source of joy. . .

Today is her big day and we are all saying to her HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Bid for the Best Beds

Sleep has not overcome me yet. I just can't close my eyes as I keep on turning and tossing on my bed. Perhaps an after effect of the capuccino I had a few hours ago. Several thoughts keep flashing on my mind as I lay awake on my bed. Finally, an idea sank on me that made me smile. It's the thought that I have a nice bed and how I acquired this.

Several months ago, an appliance store located just below our office had their closing out sale. Items were up for grabs at very, very low prices. For a thousand and five hundred pesos, one can already choose among the sala set, refrigerator, washing machine, double deck beds and this matrimonial bed. I already have all of these but I still decided to purchase the bed. It's a big one, quite heavy because the body is made of steel, and the cushion on it is just too nice to let go of. Without hesitation I bought it and had it delivered in the house. After a week, I saw the same make of bed at one of the department stores here and to my surprise it cost twelve times the price when I acquired it. Lucky bid and pick, indeed.

Now as continue contemplating, a new idea popped up on me. I know one of these days I'll be bidding again for one of the nicest beds because I knew of a website offering classy and quality beds at affordable prices. Who knows, I might just end up again bidding and picking the best one at the best price ever.

New Kids on the 8th Block

Guys, please take a peek of my kids. . .an all girl volleyball team in the future!

Rafee, Tina, Tricia, Sam, Gwen and Jasmine

The Day I Was On DirecTV

I was invited during the opening of one of the Seafood Markets in Gensan last year. It was an event that turned into reality my wish on being featured on a DirecTV program. There were many people from the media covering the said event and ladyluck must have smiled at me because I was chosen to be interviewed by the DirecTV reporter.

I obliged to the request for interview. I was excited because that's my first time to be interviewed in front of a DirecTV camera. I made myself comfortable by taking a deep breath before facing on cam. The interview went well. I talked about the advantage of having a high end Seafood Market for working moms like me. I gave my best shot because I knew my family and friends will be able to see the interview once it is shown on DirecTV.

True enough, when the said interview of DirecTV was shown on air, varied reactions reached my end. Some reactions made me smile from ear to ear. But there is one reaction that made me cringe on my seat. It came from my three year old baby girl - she said upon seeing me on DirecTV "My mom looks like Mamatua!". . .

Our Dear Olaer Swimming Resort

This is how Olaer Swimming Resort would look like on mags as envisioned by the author.

My dear hubby enjoying the cool waters of OSR.

I have long wanted to write about this property of ours. It's just that I find it so self-serving to be doing such. Nevertheless, it is my ardent desire to share with you what we have to offer there. The place is now undergoing renovations for the better. We aim to offer the best services and facilities to our dear clientele. I will be posting here soon pics of the new OSR!

As a little backgrounder, this 12 hectare property was bought by our grandparents (the late PEDRO ROMERO OLAER and MARIA NECESARIO OLAER) during the 60's with Php800.00 and 1 carabao. I am an offspring of the youngest among the six siblings of our grandparents. The business had been operated by the family ever since it started its operation many, many years ago.

Now, we are introducing new innovations in the management and operation of the resort. It is now under the management of Olaer Development Corporation (of which I am a member of the Board). I am proud to say that the new management is composed of young people with brilliant minds who are into continuous quest for what's best for this legacy left behind by our dear grandparents. We are just starting this saga for the benefit of our younger generation but we are optimistic that what we aim for will be realized if we will have the zest to go for it.

More about OSR in my upcoming posts!

My Good Bad Times

"Good times, become good memories. Bad times, become good lessons."

The author had a very exhausting week. It started with a terrible news that my daughter in Manila is sick and will be rushed to the nearest hospital. I wanted very much to book a flight at once just to be near her but I am compromised with so many things to attend to here.

Good thing that there are so many people who helped lessen the fear and pain in me during this very troubling week. I am taking this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of you who stood by me and my family:

Sir Tim Gabuna, Director of ADMU Residence Halls for being there for Raffee;

Sir Mon and all the staff of ADMU Residence Halls who took good care of my daughter;

My daughter's Tita Leonie and Tito Alex, for their unwavering support and love;

My brother Alex who took his time out to watch over Raffee for a night;

Moms Linda, Chona, Jen and Sheng who prayed along with me for her speedy recovery;

The physicians, nurses and hospital staff of Quirino Medical Center(along Katipunan Ave.) who attended to and watched over her;

To all of you, guys, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

To God be the glory!

She's healed and is now recuperating in the comfort of her room in the

Eliazo-Cervini Halls.

Seventeen Years of Living and Loving

Please bear with me as I do away with the usual stuff as I turn romantic this time, just for this time as I share with you a tale of love and friendship with a person whom I've spent the last seventeen years of my life with.

Seventeen long years of living and loving. . .

internetless, textless world started it all

hearing his voice through a radio call

and hearing mine caused him to fall

and fascinated with a voice so cool and small.

Seventeen long years of living and loving. . .

commenced with a June wedding

exchanging and wearing of ring

amidst smiles and tears falling

and promises to each other of doing everything.

Seventeen long years of living and loving...

brought us life's realities

instead of love notes and flowers

we prefer budget and groceries

over and above our own worries.

Seventeen long years of living and loving. . .

we kept the fire of our love burning

despite challenges so overwhelming

and with our heads bowed we'll keep on praying

as we thank and ask Him for another seventeen long years of living and loving.