Sunset or Sunrise Photo Tag

MegaMom tagged me with Show me your sunset or sunrise. Rules are: It has to be a picture I took, where and how it made me feel.

I'm sorry to break the first rule as I'm posting my husband's Sunset photos. He has so many exquisite 'Tramonto del sole'(sunset)shots and I would like to share them. Besides, I'm not good with taking scenery and landscape pictures. But(sounding defensive), my husband would agree that I'm better in taking my children's portraits.

As to how it makes me feel, I simply love it! Its so enchanting how it is reminding me to stop, slow down, look, enjoy and appreciate what is around me. It also brings back a lot of my childhood memories - some found HERE:

These are all taken here in Cavallino Treporti, a part of Venice Italy except with this photo above which is taken at the very heart of Venice called San Marco. What's amazing with our sundowns here is that, the colors do vary to what the weather and season is. When its gloomy or mostly during winter, it would look this gray:

During summer's clear sky, when everyone is out with their boats and on to the beach, it would be a rich color of gold, yellow and orange.

My husband prefers it when there are clouds. Its more dramatic as WELL(Baguio Artist) describes it!


Then the corny me would say:
When the sun finally sank in,

down to the water as it may seem.

The night is then set to fall,

yield to rest, we must all.

More photos of Venice Sunset here at my husband - Boogie's Blog

Now I'm passing the tag to Matsay, Miss Buguias , Jane , Nikki , Hannah, Layad and REYNA ELENA . Please holler this blog if you did the tag. Thanks!

THAT CHRISTMAS TREE

Our rug rat Dylan is having his first birthday next month. Before I forget his funny little mischief adventures, I thought of writing a continuation to this post found HERE: (Baby "D", The Explorer).
Still the ongoing curiosity and exploring makes Dylan busy and he rules our home now. Our little tot never gets tired of walking around the house and storms the bathroom when he sees his chance - "the open door", that had clogged the toilet bowl last week. A part of which I am to blame because of "poor judgement" that the ball he dropped was small anyway so I flushed it instead. I had to put on my gloves to "retrieve" this ball which trapped the tissues that won't allow the water to drain(ewww?!!).

Rattles, teethers etc... and electric outlets don't amuse him anymore. Dylan's toddler "missions" are into POWER BUTTONS for now. You will just be caught unguarded when the computer is suddenly switching off or the printer icon pops out on the monitor. Lukie would often shout, "DYYLANNN!!!", when he is enjoying his TV show and his little brother changed the channel or had pushed the OFF button.
Did I say he already knew the "law of gravity"? Books, papers, blocks, toys etc...are all over the floor and you are to fix it for him to mess again.

Aside from pushing buttons, Christmas tree is Dylan's new discovery. He pulls everything hanging on it. A must not to say "NO" for a learning toddler who is trying to taste, feel and see everything he gets hold of except for harmful or dangerous things. When I consciously don't apply re-directing or diverting his attention away from the decoration, I tell him NO.

I know its not right to stop him from his exploring and my husband doesn't understand me sometimes with this. He may even be right when he says my kids might grow hating Christmas trees. But, I want something beautiful standing up there spared from messing up for a change. I can get tired too hanging back what my son took off.

So why put up that Christmas tree after all? Maybe my kids will understand me someday that I tried to let them feel the spirit of Christmas or had showed them that Christmas do exist... And, they will know that my nagging them over a tree is better than no Christmas at all.

THE FUNERAL

Post 25: Lolo Ramon's Story

"A big spider was carefully knitting it's web. Up, side and down it goes with passion and elegance as it inter tweeds it’s white thread in coming up with it’s masterpiece. A day of labor, it was done. The spider built it’s home like a crown above my father’s casket. A web that awed if not puzzled the people who came for my Papa’s wake". Daddy remembers.

"People kept on coming saying they came as far as Tinoc Ifugao, Nueva Viscaya down from Pangasinan. People who wept more than us telling how grateful they were for your lolo’s help and how their lives were touched and changed by him."

"One chanted during the ‘Day-eng or 'Ba'dew'(Igorot chant) that Ramon was the only mayor he knew who had a house with the ground (soil ) as the flooring, walls and post so black made by the smoke from the ‘pugon’(where to cook with fire woods) and a roof partially ‘kugon’(kind of grass) and rusted ‘si-sim’(galvanize iron). A pauper, you are indeed but a man with a rich soul, his song ended."

"It was a funeral Ambassador Tublay witnessed with so many people from different places. Others camped and slept outside and some were accommodated by our neighbors to be with us during Papa's last days. Their company alone was so heartwarming. Most of them brought foods, kamote, rice, pig to butcher and anything we would all share during the wake. "

Another man’s ‘Day-eng ‘, This is not to mourn your death but the celebration of how you lived life. A life full of giving with no expectations for anything in return.

"Aaahh' the spider web", Daddy continues.The ‘mambunong’(pagan priest) said in his ‘mad-mad’(prayer), 'Panswerti-an adi na, Idawdawat mo ay Ramon di pansangbua-an di an-an’ak mo. Sya san inka ipatawed in dae da' (This is a sign of good luck. Ramon, you are giving your children something meant for a ritual (‘sangbu’or a ritual with a pig to butcher for receiving good luck). This is the inheritance you want them to have)."

Then another ‘Day-eng’ was sang. This crown above you shining so proud are your children and children’s children. ‘Matagu- tago da et dae’day mangibangun sin ngadan mo.’(They will live and raise your name).

"Papa now laid to rest. It was our tribe’s tradition to bury our dead underground and just the soil to cover the coffin. But the people insisted, he was not a common Igorot. He deserved a tomb - a monument . We had followed the tradition yet welcomed his people’s request. We buried Papa in the ground and above was a white huge rectangle cement with a cross and there it simply said – ‘A FATHER’.(The cement was taken off during the 80's because of some Igorot beliefs and a Canao was held after doing so.)

I asked Daddy on my recent overseas call, "Sipa ngay e naala yu ni pagka-noble nen lolo (So what did you get from lolo’s nobleness)? Then he kept quiet for a while. I thought the telephone line was going crazy so I said, "Hello dad! Can you hear me?"..." Yes, you’re clear !", he answered and he told me these, "Nothing I guess if we speak of material wealth. Look, you have to go far leaving home and you have to work hard just to go on".

Then I tried to redirect him to my original question because I know he will be nostalgic again and he said...."I guess aside from ‘dayaw’(honor), it had kept our feet on the ground. Your lolo taught us to understand others, seeing the kindness in them - forgiving and staying good as much as possible. He made us work for the enrichment of what matters most – THE SOUL - and that’s where the real happiness is. If you seek and long for more than that, there will never be peace and contentment"... and the line went off leaving me digesting what Daddy had just said.

GOLD AND RED

HAPPY DECORATING EVERYONE !!!

I still can feel it now how I felt when I get home from school seeing all the Christmas decors my mother just hanged. She used to do it the day we go to school after the All Soul's Day break. I'm always blown away with all these colorful things giving life to the room. There's that aura of everything positive and as a kid, incoming gifts would be the reason to be happy. How about you, do you remember how it feels?
I had put up the Christmas tree 2 days ago, I'm not yet done as we're switching to gold and red. Last year was gold and blue after 2 years of silver and blue. Did I just say those colors like some dumb blond chick(mother hen) in a movie?

Looks corny but I can't keep these star and heart back to the store room. Gifts last year from friends.

ILARIA'S HEARTS

It started last Monday that Lukie brings home surprises for Mama and Papa. A bond paper with his drawing on it. For 2 days it was always "THE SEA CREATURES" or the drawings above.

We usually get all their works at the end of the school year except for cards or stuffs they make for special occasions like Mother's Day, Halloween etc...so this everyday present is something new.

Yesterday morning when my husband was waiting for the school bus, he told our son before sending him to school, that maybe it would be better if Lukie will bring home "un diverso designo"(a different drawing). He also suggested to the little boy to use all the spaces of the paper. Then our son came home with his 'nouvo designo' of the dessert with him near some cactus. The sun still there and the single line of blue color which is his sky. Little Dylan tore the paper so big brother sentenced it to the trash.

"Ahhhhh, Mama, there's another surprise!" Lukie said as he zips off his bag and took this out: PER LUKIE DA PARTE DI ILARIA(for Lukie from Ilaria) their teacher wrote. It was a present(more of a display of love...LOL)from a little girl to my son. NOTE: Don't miss Lukie and Ilaria under the hearts hahahaha....

He told me that Ilaria is the girl who likes him and I asked if he likes her too. My son said, "No, I'm fed up with her. She is always following me. 'Quendi, forse...voglio Madalena. E piu grande sai (Therefore, maybe...I like Madalena. She's bigger, you know)".

So what now? Would that mean my "Sibling Rivalry" readings will be put on hold for "LOVE AND RELATIONSHIP FOR 5 YEAR OLDS"?

SIBLING RIVALRY (Part 3)

I'm the eldest among six girls and next to me is my sister, Noeda, with only a gap of one year. Among all my sisters, she's my "fighting-mate" during our younger days. Punching, kicking, nose bleeding and shouting would often raise our Dad's blood pressure. Dismayed, he would always tell us that it would be worse if we were boys.

As we age and eventually had a family of our own, I look back at it as part of growing up. A normal stage we have to go through or a part of the process where we acted out who and what we are that time - KIDS.

Writing this echoes my father's words when we do it rough. He would say: "Enjoy these short days being together as sisters. Someday you'll leave this home and will have a family of your own. Then no matter how you would want to turn back time to be young all together again, you can't 'uray in-nanges kayu ni dara'(even if you cry out tears of blood)." Indeed, he was right!

Last Sunday, we celebrated Noemi's first birthday. My sister Noeda and his husband Irven may look tired but they did well in making my niece's day a special one.

Noeda emailed me before her daughter's birthday about her children's(Roldan-2 years old and Noemi-1 y/o) early display of what we used to do - FIGHT! My Sister said:
"They don't really fight(YET), its just that Roldan would often slap Noemi for no reason. He pushes her all the time specially when Roldan is holding food or a toy. He thinks her little sister is going to get it away from him.

For Noemi, its like like she could sense it well that there is danger when Roldan comes to her. She would always run away from his big brother. Again, like she has a wiser mind of her own, Noemi does her pay back when Roldan is asleep. She would pull his brother's hair and pokes his nose hahaha...."

Excerpt from Your Child: Development And Behavior resources:

Be There For Each Child:

1. Set aside “alone time” for each child. Each parent should spend some one-on-one with each kid on a regular basis. Try to get in at least a few minutes each day. It’s amazing how much even just 10 minutes of uninterrupted one-on-one time can mean to your child.

2. When you are alone with each child, ask them once in a while what they like most and least about each brother and sister. This will help you keep tabs on their relationships, and also remind you that they probably do have some positive feelings for each other!
3. Listen—really listen—to how your children feel about what’s going on in the family. They may not be so demanding if they know you at least care how they feel.

4. Celebrate your children’s differences. Let each child know they are special—just for who they are...read more HERE: