Tree planting

Tree planting is very important. Trees have always played an important part in people’s lives, from providing shade and maintaining the beauty of the place to fruits and flowers that attract to each other. Whenever you are around trees you feel a sense of peace and calm and more importantly, protection. If you are concerned about saving the planet, then tree planting is what you should be considering on top priority. Because today they have many calamities like typhoon Sendong attack in our country. Trees are very important to prevent the typhoon or other calamities and it is part of every community. Our streets, parks, playgrounds and backyards are lined with trees that create a peaceful, aesthetically pleasing environment. Hoping that many people have a discipline and they always think that the nature is important especially to all illegal loggers. Because anytime we don’t know what will happen to us.

Last Aug. 8, 2010 we have a tree planting project with the support of DENR in Atimonan, Quezon. It is a project of our company that all the staff is always cooperates to this project. It is very nice project; hope that all the company like this…

Here’s the photo of JCPC company tree planting project.

 

TEDDY BEAR STUFFED TOY

Based on wikipedia stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw, beans, plastic pellets, cotton, synthetic fibres, or other similar materials. Stuffed toys are also known asplush toys (U.S. English) from plush, the outer material used, and soft toys or cuddly toys (British English).

Stuffed toys are made in many different forms, often resembling animals, legendary creatures, cartoon characters or inanimate objects. They are often used as comfort objects, for display or collecting and given as gifts, such as for graduation, Valentine’s Day or birthdays.

Anyway, Vince and I went to stuffed toy store, its his first time to see different kind of stuffed toy. He immediately ran on the different stuffed toys. They have different kind of stuffed toys display in the mall but he was attracted to teddy bear design. Maybe because teddy bear stuffed toy is very popular and very attractive to the kids. Vince was not satisfied to hug and kiss the big bear, i caught him lying on the bear. Maybe he was comfortable because it is smooth and soft.

BUKO SALAD

Salad is the most popular Filipino dessert usually served after lunch or dinner. And for the Filipino buko salad is common usually during any occasions. Me and my hubby were craving for buko salad so we went out to buy the ingredients. We bought 12 pcs. or one dozen of young coconut. Then we went to grocery store and bought the remaining ingredients needed to make buko salad.

Here are the ingredients we bought: 1 liter of today’s fruit cocktail, alaska condensed 350 ml, all purpose nestle cream 200 grams, eden cheese 180 grams. My hubby and I started to prepare the buko salad by scraping the buko meat from the husk using buko shedder utensils.

Then, simply mixed all the ingredients including buko meat in a mixing bowl. Be sure to mix well. Then chill in the refrigerator for several hours. After that my buko salad was ready to serve cold as a dessert.

TYPHOON SENDONG MOST AFFECTED AREA

Here in the Philippines, Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete and Negros Occidental are the most affected area of typhoon Sendong, As of this time more than 900 bodies was found dead and hundreds are still missing. Many of the houses were washed out and the bodies were displaced. For now there’s no supply of water and electricity in some affected places based on TV patrol news on ABS CBN. Everyday more and more dead bodies are found. The dead bodies are already decaying and hard to identify. Funerals won’t accept dead bodies or decaying bodies because of the availability of caskets.

One of the reasons why this kind of calamity happens is because of continues illegal logging. Our kababayan’s (our fellow countrymen) and other countries are willing to help the victims of Sendong. They send their help through ABS CBN Sagip Kapamilya, GMA Kapuso Foundation and other foundations are welcome to accept cash or in kind donations to all affected in typhoon Sendong. Drop-off donations such as bottled water, food, blankets, and clothes are welcome. You can drop by to LBC branches near you and send your donations, they will bring your donations for free.

Here’s a list of ways to help the typhoon victims: http://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/50034/how-to-help-typhoon-sendong-victims

CHRISTMAS CAROLING

Christmas Caroling is a part of the Filipino Christmas tradition. It does celebrate yearly when Simbang gabi start or misa de gallo. Carolers will be on their feet singing Christmas carols from house to house spreading the spirit of the season through songs. Children and adults like to form groups and enjoy hopping from one house to another every night singing Jingle Bells, Silent Night and any Filipino Traditional Christmas song. They start caroling here in our Village at 7:30 in the evening. Its start to sing the song, Sa May Bahay Ng Aming Bati, they continue to sing Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit, Pasko Na Naman, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, Silent Night. They also bring the caroling handmade instrument like tambourine made the bottle tops and drum made out of tin can. I really enjoy listening their song and I feel the spirit and cheerfulness of Christmas. And after that I give the money, they sing “Thank you, thank you, ang babait ninyo …thank you….” or the one song Thank you very much thank you very much for your give we will pray for you, we will pray for you, thank you very much merry Christmas.

I think there are almost 4 group’s carolers went in my house. Sometimes other houses their caroling is not give them. They feel sad, when they said Tawad. tawad or pass is a Filipino word if they did not give the coins/money to the group of carolers. I did not ask like that because the caroling is once a year only. Because I feel happy to give for someone in need.

VINCE MEETS SANTA CLAUS

My hubby, Vince and I went to Pacific Mall Lucena to buy gift for Vince. Parents in my place decided to give gifts for their children through Santa Claus. We will give the gifts to the person who will pretend as Santa before 24th of December. Then he will come back this December 24 to give the gifts to the children.

Anyway back to the mall we visited, we saw people wearing different costumes they participated in Christmas costume competitions. Vince attracted of course to Santa Claus costume. Vince was very happy and he clapped her hands looking at Santa. I decided to give Vince to Santa Claus to have a souvenir picture but he cried and he felt scared. Maybe because he cannot imagine that he met a moving Santa Claus. Normally, he just see Santa in You tube. Anyway, children believe that Santa Claus is bringing gifts to every houses of good children during the 24th of December. Santa Claus symbolizes Christmas and perhaps the entire winter holiday season.

Vince and I together with Santa Claus and her team.

Vince on Baptismal Party

Today at 11:00 am, Vince and I will be attending the baptismal party of my neighbor’s daughter named Xiana. Xiana is a baby girl and she’s 6 months old. The baptismal party will be celebrated at Apple & Peach restaurant located at Kanlurang Mayao, Lucena City. It’s the best place for all occasions; such as Birthday party, Baptismal day, Christmas party, Wedding celebration, etc. You can get good package depending on your budget. They also have rooms for those who want to stay there.

Anyway about the party, when Vince saw the balloon he asked me “mama bobo mama bobo” bobo means lobo (balloon) but he can’t speak clearly. Then I picked one balloon for him. He was well-behaved the whole time 🙂 because sometimes tantrums attack whenever we are attending special occasions. Because of the balloons he enjoyed the party. Balloons are important to any party especially for kids, because balloons entertain and at the same time beautifies the place.

Vince on the party with his pink balloons (the color of balloons is pink only) he feels sleepy.

Vince was not able to face the camera, because he is busy with his balloon.

 

SIMBANG GABI

Tomorrow is the start of simbang gabi or misa de gallo. It is a Spanish phrase for midnight mass or literally means as mass of the roaster. I will prepare myself to wake up early in the morning. Traditionally it starts on December 16 to 24, this is a celebration of mass done early in the morning in preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. There are many church near our house but I feel comfortable attending Simbang gabi or misa de gallo at St. Michael Archangel in Tayabas, Quezon. It’s almost 30 minutes from Pagbilao, Quezon from our home going to Church in Tayabas, Quezon. I don’t know why maybe because here is the place where I was born.

Anyway about this Church, Basilica of St. Michael Archangel in Tayabas, Quezon is one of the old and biggest churches in the country. Filipinos normally attend to this tradition and more of them complete the daily routine until they finish the Simbang gabi or misa de gallo until 24th day of December. Most of the Filipino also believes that the wishes will be granted or will come true if they completed attending the misa de gallo.

You can see food stalls near the church that sell different kinds of native foods like bibingka, puto bumbong, sapin-sapin, suman and etc. Simbang gabi also brings me the same feelings of joy, happiness, excitement, and hope.

CHRISTMAS BELEN

My hubby, Vince and I were going to Pacific Mall at 7:00 o’ clock in the evening to buy the gifts of my mother because she was celebrating her birthday tomorrow. I was taking the picture of the Christmas Decoration of Lucena City Hall along the highway going to Pacific Mall. I was attracted the wonderful Christmas Belen in front of the Lucena City Hall. This is very attractive and the lightning Christmas light. This is the one beautiful Christmas decoration that I spot in Lucena City. Vince and I were really enjoyed to look the wonderful decorations, and then I was taken the picture.

Christmas Belen is the one traditional Filipino Christmas symbols herein the Philippines. It refers the scene representing the actual birth site of Jesus Christ. It has become an integral part of Christmas celebration. I remember when I was a child I make my own Belen decorations inside my house. It’s made of art paper, cotton, Japanese paper or papel de hapon and thread for my simple Belen decorations. I really feel the spirit and happiness of Christmas.

For now, I can’t feel the spirit of Christmas because of the crises facing in our country today. But in the Philippines crisis or no crisis, the spirit of Christmas is already in the air even if it’s just in the month of October. The countdown of days till Christmas is already running, many people are already buying gifts, decorating their homes with Christmas decorations like Christmas Belen, Christmas tree, etc. and busy for preparing this coming Christmas.

Preparing for Christmas Gift

The Christmas season is coming and I started to budget again my money to buy the Christmas gift to my entire godchild, nephew, niece, family and friends. It is not far away to me for preparing some unique Christmas gifts I will take much time and effort. Today we are scheduled to buy Christmas Gifts and do our Christmas Shopping for ourselves as well. We will be going to the different store that having a Christmas sale of course :-). But first I take some time and think about it: what kind of Christmas gifts do I buy for family and friends really like or need?

First step would be the Pacific Mall, Lucena City. I’ll be buying mostly toys. Then I drop buy in Pretty 99 boutique it’s a kind of boutique that sale more on dress and shoes. And the price is almost P99.00 or around $2 dollar in all items. Then I buy 5 kinds of different blouses. Then I went to SM Supermalls to buy some things for me, for my hubby and for Vince. I have a lot of days on my list its12 days before Christmas to finish everything. I hope that I’ve done all my needs before this coming Christmas day!