7AM birthday breakfast party

Happy Birthday to our self-proclaimed gorgeous friend!!!

Sacrifices like waking up too early in the morning to attend your 7AM birthday breakfast party is something we'll do until you turn 70. Hahaha!

Love love love!!!

 

domestic happiness and faithful friends

 _________________________________
/ Domestic happiness and faithful \
\ friends.                        /
 ---------------------------------
        \   ^__^
         \  (oo)\_______
            (__)\       )\/\
                ||----w |
                ||     ||

 

 

***

Early morning of May 23, my friends/workmates came to our house to celebrate my 30th birthday.

Because I was feeling lazy to cook and fix the house. I brought them to a garden resort that is just nearby - Precious Garden Resort. About 2-3 minutes of pedicab ride from our house.

As expected, the place is not crowded. We were the only guests - well, considering that it is 7:00AM in the morning. So we had breakfast, sang some songs, took a lot of pictures, shared buckets of laughter, exchanged fiction-based stories (haha! we like to tamper our stories with exaggerated details) and a whole lot of fun things. 

Thank you girls! Love love love

 

hello again Mati 05.16.15

When summer starts, one of the go-to places in Mindanao is Dahican Mati, Davao Oriental. Why? There's a yearly summer beach party called SUMMERFROLIC where the best DJ's, event organizers, surfers, and party goers get together.

***

With no plans of going to the summerfrolic festival, I was able to visit Mati the month after. Last May 16th I went on a trip to Mati with boyfie and his family (BTW, it's a first). It is best advised to have your own mode of transportation or rent a van rather than commuting. 

It was a 3-hour trip from Davao City. Before we reached Dahican we had 5 stops: 

1) Davao Oriental landmark

2) Sleeping Dinosaur view deck

 

  

 

 

3) Mati baywalk

4) Mati Capitol - sorry I didn't took photos of the building and the surroundings.

 

5) Blue Bless Resort for Lunch

Then finally, the BEACH!!! The beauty of the beach is unarguable. For a minute you'd succumb to silence and just let your eyes feast and wander at the scenery. The ombré ocean would take your breath away. The white sand beach is accented through the long beach line. The waves are perfect for skimboarding and the not-so-strong wind makes a good day for powered paragliding.

 

So, go pack your bags and visit Mati. It is highly suggested if you are a beach person. 

oodles of years

I just turned 30!!!

 Now go pop the champagne and play Avril's "Here's to Never Growing Up" song

Wow, I have lived 3 decades and I still have that wonder in my eyes for new things

At 30 I have learned how to be happy even when I am sad

I learned to forgive

I learned how to pray

I learned to see things in a positive perspective

I learned to determine and welcome blessings over failure and disappointments

I learned that love is a reason that changes the whole picture

I learned that there's no easy way in life - no shortcuts

I learned that somehow we'll lose some while we gain some

I learned that we cannot carry everything that is why we need to let go or hand over to others what we carry... we are never alone in this life anyway

And there's so much more that I have yet to learn!

They say that 30 years is the "old-era"

No biggie - I will embrace it gladly

Whatever age it is, I feel good with it

I am just grateful for this beautiful life and for all the people I have crossed paths with and paved the way for me to become the person I am today

I am overwhelmed with all the love that the universe is sending me

I have my palms wide-open

And with this bursting joy it is impossible to contain it for myself alone so I am sharing the love to the people around me

So to this great life and my years to come - cheers!

 

  

   

 

 

PS: 

Thank you to my friends who have spoiled me with a photo shoot on my birthday and sponsored my outfits as well (wink)

Love love love love love

mermaids in the making

(Insert "Under The Sea" soundtrack from The Little Mermaid)

Part of our May 1, 2015 adventure was the snorkeling and Taclobo-Watching in Adecor, Samal Island. Taclobo is a local term for Giant Clams. And as promised, here's the separate post.

After the experience, I fell in love. I am not a good swimmer, I can just float for about 1-2 minutes but that didn't stop me and my friends. After witnessing the magnificent world under the sea I think I'll be having more snorkeling activities from now on. It is a must-try experience and I am glad I have brushed it off from my list - things to do before turning 30 list.

Here are some of the almost a thousand pictures that are still not enough to capture the beauty of the sea - I am just lost for words.