salt&bleach

Category: Hello There

  • Wedding Crashers

    Wedding Crashers

    To Dalaguete & Back

    We almost didn’t make it to this invitation because Kuya’s District Meet Scrabble Game was supposed to happen. Fortunately, it was rescheduled, so I thought we were meant to drive down to Dalaguete.

    The invitation came from Creselda & Kevin. I got to know them years ago, when I help put together the IT ServiceDesk Operations for Aboitiz Equity Ventures. They were On-the-Job Trainees & scholars of Passerelles Numeriques from the University of San Carlos. Kevin worked with the Network Team while Sed worked with me at the Service Desk. 2 years ago, I took wedding photos for Joy, another one of those Trainees.

    • Our usual Argao stop
    • Break time
    • Curious as ever
    • Geese

    We dressed comfortably for the drive but brought along wedding clothes and planned to change when we arrived at Dalaguete.

    I intended to bring a big camera but I knew I couldn’t pull it out with the kids in tow. So back to the mighty, mighty iPhone for some wedding related photos.

    Gone were the days where I could take as many photos as I could, you know? Growing kids meant less time for extracurricular things. Not complaining. I know when all of these will pass, I’m going to miss every second of being able to carry them around with me.

    The reception was towards Alcoy and I was glad it had a sea front because Kuya and Coxon loved it.

    I wanted to wait for the reception but time didn’t allow us. I didn’t want to arrive too late back in the city. So we hand around and left just as the reception was starting. Nevertheless, I was so glad I had the chance to drive and be part of Creselda & Kevin’s day. It was heavy on the heart but terribly beautiful at the same time.

  • Christmas of 2024

    Christmas of 2024

    It took me a little while to find the time to write about Christmas from last year. I always write about the holidays but lately, time is scarce. If I’m not at work, I usually spend everything with the kids and then insert a little room for bike adventures if only to get that much needed exercise.

    We spent Christmas in Las Piñas and then went home shortly after to spend the new year at the house. I hope, this time, I manage to keep this blog for as long as I can so that the boys can back read when they are all grown up.

    Cousins

    I booked tickets to fly out to Las Piñas for Christmas as soon as I learned that their cousins from Australia were also coming home. Here they are with their Lolo Rudy.

    Airport & airplane things

    • Scroll left & right

    Sadly, I was mostly watching over the kids so I didn’t have too many pictures of them enjoying Christmas Day at their Lola Syv’s house in Tagaytay. The ones below, however, is when their Tita Ayla brought us to Tanay for a little adventure.

    I remember the not too far away drive from Las Piñas while passing by Marikina for breakfast and take out coffee. Scroll left and right for more of our pictures in Tanay.

    • We saw a horse
    • This is Pollie. She wants a cracker but she’s not a cracker.
    • River time.
    • Talahib life.

    When we got back to Manila, we passed by our little family in QC and then headed to BGC for cousin Wolfie’s birthday.

    We also had the time to see their Tita Tanya and her kids. She took the kids to Kinder City in Evia and then had them try the chicken at Fireside in Molito.

    On our last day, I took them to the playground in Almanza. The ground was still wet but Kuya & Coxon had fun nonetheless.

    After lunch we left for the airport to catch our afternoon flight back to Cebu.

    • Scroll left and right

    And before we knew it, we were finally home. It’s not easy traveling with two kids in tow but somehow, I find it terribly beautiful – messy but wonderful. The next travel will be a little different. Kuya will almost be a teenager and Coxon will learn more tricks. I’m writing all of this down so I can remember things that happen on Decembers. I love you Kuya & Coxon.

  • A Spontaneous Drive

    A Spontaneous Drive

    I don’t plan weekend things for the kids and usually just let things flow, you know? But last weekend, a drive to Tabuelan sounded interestingly hard to resist. After lunch at Hoshino in SM JMall, we drove all the way to Durhan White Beach Resort in Tabuelan stopping only in Jollibee Compostella to answer nature’s call and in Metro Danao to get chips, water & ice tea for the kids.

    Squishmallows

    Lately, Coxon doesn’t want to sit in his car seat, opting instead to sit with Kuya together with some squishmallows. During long drives, they lay squeezed together sleeping the drive away. Here, however, you can see them a little excited.

    I picked Tabuelan, despite it being a little away from the city, thinking about the majestic sunset it offers. It’s a town on the west side of Cebu island. West can only mean sunset, and lately, the sunsets in the city has been really full of colour. In my head, Tabuelan and the rest of the west can only mean even better if not the best sky shows.

    Kuya didn’t want to get salty and wanted to play with the sand so only Coxon and myself changed to our swim clothes.

    I was a little disappointed at first because the sunset, while wonderful, looked like something I’ve seen over and over. It wasn’t after the sun had sunk into the horizon where the colors exploded.

    Before We Knew It

    The sky changed colours a few minutes after I put on dry clothes for Coxon. I hurried and changed too so I can get a glimpse of the sky show. I snapped this picture of Kuya admiring the colours suspended over the vast canvass in front of our eyes..

    Three

    There are so many things that we go through every day. We laugh, play games, we argue, we cry but our days always end the same. The three of us in bed, whispering prayers of gratefulness for the things we are able to understand and for heavy things in our rearview mirror, especially.

    We left while there was still hints of colour in the sky. It was getting dark and I was a little anxious driving through Tabuelan to Logo. I remember it being always dark. Plus, we were hungry and McDonalds in a Danao was still a long shot.

    I can only wish for another opportunity such as this in the nearest future. Good seeing you Tabuelan!