Batis Spring Resort, Liliw, Laguna

This is actually the second time that we went for an overnight at Batis Spring Resort at Liliw, laguna.  The first time was mother's day weekend and hubby decided to bring us all to 9 waves pool in Rizal but i wanted to go to San Juan Batangas for  beach trip.  Batis Spring resort was a compromise because it's not sea but it's not chemically treated pool also.  I wanted maggie to have her first dip from a chemical-free pool.

As usual. i enjoy the long drive. The water's too cold for me but not for the rest of the family members. Infact, they spend the whole night as in from 6 pm to well over 1 am in the morning in the pool.  The larger pool is not as cold as the smaller ones.  Entrance is only P 50.00 for adults and P40 for the kids.  There are overnight cottages which are airconditioned, has cable tv and refrigerator for P 2,500. Nice enough for a family of 5 like us. You can even rent a karaoke for as long as your stay.

We went there again last sunday with family friends and the kids did not enjoy it as much as the first time because 2 of my girls had a fever and all of them have coughs and colds. But they went dipping in the water nonetheless. Hubby brought his bike and explored Liliw on 2-wheels.

This time we were made aware that Liliw's footwear industry is comparable if not superior to Marikina in terms of quality and price. "Gawang Liliw" is a stamp of quality. It's a good thing I was watching over the kids all the time, i didn't have the time to give in to my impulse buying mode. There's a lot of stalls lined up along the narrow streets selling all kinds of footwear.

If you like old churches, Liliw's Sacred Heart Cathedral is one of a kind.  In fact, the community around the church is like a blast from the past, like a miniature Vigan. It is situated on tallest part of Liliw and so overlooks everything.  I am just sorry my photos and this narrative do not do justice to the place. I took these photos inside a moving vehicle which was why i wasn't able to get a good frame.

Anyway, if you like swimming, nature, fresh air and lots of quality local goods you will surely find it here in Liliw.  It's a good place for families to spend some bonding time.

On the mend...

August has not been particularly good healthwise.  My three kids have been sick with cough and colds, fever alternately or any two of them at the same time.  That's why my eyebags are perpetually present and are heavier.  I spend my august nights mostly sleepless which probably is the main reason why i was so cranky and made me yaya-less...Oh well, i have my moments.

Good news is that my kids are on the mend. Never mind that they still have coughs and colds. I need to be thankful and upbeat. Hopefully, my positive mood and new yayas will influence the air around me and drive all those negative vibrations away and leave us all with happy disposition .

Let's Get Physical...

I used to attend a regular Taebo class when i was yet single. When i got married at 32, i was blessed to be pregnant immediately(after the marriage he he) and so it's just sort of a natural slide to inactivity.  I did walking though as everyone was telling me to walk to have an easier labor.  After 3 kids, it just seemed so hard to have other activities apart from my children, not that i resent spending my time with them. 

Lately though, i really think that i needed exercise to add to my daily regimen in order to be healthy.  I work behind a desk for 8 hours and my waist has expanded to 33 inches and my weight to 122.  Just a month or two after giving birth , i was actually happy that i tipped the scale at only 120 and so i targetted to have my weight back at 115.  Five pounds is not that difficult to lose right? Wrong... 

Two weeks ago, I resolved to be physically active again.  To motivate myself, i bought myself a rubber shoes, an exercise get -up, downloaded a fun hip hop abs video and a badminton racket.  The hip hop abs dance video which i got from isohunt.com is fantastic not to mention that it's free.  It has a 20 minutes segment and a 40 minutes segment to it's up to you to choose the length of your work-out.

The dunlop badminton racket i bought costs me only 520 and it's already a pair.  It's already a steal considering how expensive badminton rackets are. I already used it in my first ever badminton play and it worked just fine.  We played at Yonex badminton court at Shaw and it was really a nice and clean place. We paid P530 pesos for the 3 of us for an hour.  If ever, I am going to upgrade my racket i'll probably get the same one pictured above.

I also want to buy a bag for me to look more athletic. bwa ha ha ha.  Right now, i'd settle for that back pack you get free when you purchase chocolates at duty free. Tee hee

I do my hip hop abs at least once a week or every chance i get a free time at home. Did i mention that i have to tutor my kids and read them to sleep and carry baby maggie on my arms until she falls to sleep. Yeah, that's how occupied i am when i get home. But i digress again...

So it should be easy to get that firm body now right? Hopefully... if i could just limit my sweets and get the same bod of Bar Rafaeli courtesy of Sports Illustrated! I might as well dream big dreams :)

About being heard...

There is a need for each one of us to be heard no matter how trivial our concerns to others may be.  If we are listened to even if initially our concerns are not immediately realized, somehow our feeling of discontent is appeased.  It is the same for the housewife who spends all her day, mothering the children taking care of all the things that needs to be taken care of sometimes forgetting herself.  If at the end of the day, she can't share all her burdens to her husband, then the relationship will slowly deteriorate.  The same is true for a husband who's burdened by the fact that he needs to provide for his family and comes home to a house where he can't share his concerns.  The same is true for Senior Police Inspector Rolando Mendoza.  He was a family man with three children, a decorated police officer who was dismissed of bribery charges.  While he may have been guilty of the charges filed against him, it also does not excuse the courts' delay in settling the case.  While the case was pending, his life stopped, he can't find job and it must have been really a personal torture for his life to be unfolding the way it was considering that he was an achiever.

Senior Police Inspector Rolando Mendoza was charged of robbery, extortion and grave threats by a manila hotel chef after he was accused by five other police officers of using drugs to extort money from him.  Mendoza was fired 2009 but he claimed that he was innocent.  The case apparently took a snail pace which in a way is another way of not being listened to.  Ultimately, it ended in 9 fatalities including the hostage taker himself.  How sad could that be?...

Paradizoo Farm, Tagaytay

These are some of the photos i took using my samsung celphoneS7330  while on a fieldtrip with the Grade 1 class of JRU which my daughter Alyssa is a part of.  As you can see, it works well as with any digital camera as long as there is enough light.

Paradizoo is a big enough place which only starting to build up.  They have quite a collection of animals local and foreign.  It's not your typical zoo.  Be prepared for long walks and uphill climbs so your rubber shoes will be put in good use. Paradizoo is a 10-hectare property which is currently being developed to be a farm theme park.  If you're going by car, take the main road from Tagaytay Rotonda going to Batangas.  Watch out for the Paradizoo sign on the right when you pass by Mendez market.

World War II Shrine in Tagaytay

These are some of the photos i've taken during a visit with the Grade 1 class of JRU which my daughter Alyssa is part of. 

Kumon

I have a 6-years old who is already in grade 1.  During their kindergarten graduation, i was really amazed at how intelligent their class valedictorian was.  Intelligent in a way that he was able to recite a long valedictory address.  Of course, there are many levels of intelligence but just for this post i equate it with being able to read. I'm not sure if he can already read but he must have been able to read already. I know i should't compare but i am was really afraid that aj will be behind in class because of her difficulty in reading and i am such a poor teacher at home. I'd get easily frustrated when she doesn't concentrate and doesn't seem to absorb the lessons.  And so i enrolled her and my 4 year old at Kumon for reading.

The tuition per subject is 1,800 and kumon only offers tutorials for math and reading.  The enrolment is a one-time fee of 500 and additional 100 for the ID.  All the worksheets are already included in the monthly tuition fee which is payable every 25th of the month.  No payment means no worksheets.  For pre-schoolers, the schedule is 3x a week depending on the availability of the slots.  Parent's orientation is scheduled every last day of the month and is a must for every enrollee. Also bring your children with you for the diagnostic tests.

I have high expectations of kumon, let's see if the system really delivers.  Here's the address and contact numbers for you guys out there:

Kumon Shaw/Wackwack Center
2/f W Brown Bldg
Shaw blvd., cor S. Laurel St
Mandaluyong City
tel no. 718-0250