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Spring Awakening

Hell yeah, I’m still alive.

Tons of things had happened in the winter season, sans snow and layered clothing. The family repatriated back to Manila last December, just in time for the holidays (iba pa rin talaga ang Paskong Pinoy!). I went back to California alone in January to land our project’s first release/go-live (and spent Valentine’s day Riki-less and Evan-less), but flew back home just in time for the Eheads Final Set and the onslaught of the summer heat. We finally bought our starter home in January and is now in the process of sprucing up the unit’s interior with the help of professionals. Hopefully we can move in by the beginning of June and start enjoying the magnificent view! (Living in between houses is difficult especially if all your stuff is still in unopened shipment boxes).

Amidst all the relocation activities, Evan had gradually transitioned to his new home location (Makati for now), quickly brushed up on his Tagalog skills and have breezed thru Nursery in two months (he even grabbed the Most Obedient Award during Moving Up day and got perfect scores in his Science and Math exams!).

If two years ago, relocating to another country proved to be physically and emotionally draining during the first month (detailed story here), going back to Pinas was the exact opposite. After a day or two of shaking off the jetlag, we are already in our comfort zone. It’s like we never left at all! Certainly there are a lot of things we will miss in the Bay Area – beautiful neighborhood and weather, speed driving in the freeway, outlets and shopping, zero financial worries, flexible working schedule allowing frequent family travels, the public libraries and community parks, and first-world facilities and services, among others. It was indeed a great family adventure and we are very grateful for the blessings. But believe it or not, we are genuinely happy to be finally back - to be with family and friends and always be present at their lives’ important milestones, to be able to eat all our favorite Filipino food anytime, and yes, even to drive in the exciting and traffic-stricken streets of Manila. Evidently, pilipinong tunay talaga kami and this is our home.

So, pictures and more updates coming up in my Multiply album soon, as I start to open my boxes and find my hard drive photo repositories. J

Mabuhey!

EVANTales: Art Gallery

Riki called me at work this afternoon to warn me that Evan had prepared something for me when I get home and that I should make sure I act surprised (so as not to disappoint my little man).

No need to fake any facial expression because what I saw made my eyes grow big and my mouth open wide.

Evan ceremoniously asked his dad to unveil the curtain (or rather blinds) and dyaraaannn... their own father and son gallery. Can you spot daddy and baby Swampfire?

The t-shirt says it all. 100% awesome!

Work-related stress, all gone.

EVANTales: Ben10 Overload

I first heard about Ben Tennyson when we were in Walt Disney World last September. Evan, Riki & Lola were all talking animatedly about this one kid they saw in the Disney store wearing the cool Omnitrix watch (Emi to self: the what?!). Evan wanted one for himself too, badly.

So when we got back home to Walnut Creek, father and son wasted no time and visited their favorite orphanage (Toys R Us) to look for Ben and his awesome watch. Fine, just another waif to bring home for Evan to play with. Or so I thought.

What I didn't know was that the minute you wear the watch-like device (the Omnitrix), it will enable you to transform to several alien forms!

Alas! Now we live with half of the alien force. Meet Evan's adopted siblings: Swampfire, Chromastone, Humongousaur, Jetray and Echo Echo.

We are still finalizing the adoption papers for the remaining five.

48 Quarters

It was August last year when I started collecting the US State quarters. I am now just 2 coins away to completing the 50 US states!


The US Mint website describes the 50 State Quarters® Program as "an innovative 10-year initiative (1999 - 2008) commemorating each of the 50 United States, as allowed by Public Law 105-124. This is an unprecedented program by which the United States quarter's design will change five times each year for a 10-year period, beginning in January 1999. States are honored in the order in which they were admitted into the Union".

I still have to find the Alaska and Hawaii quarters, both just released in 2008. Anyone?