Home Improvements

Hi Babe!

Even though our home's exterior isn't completely done yet, I still can't help but get a thrill whenever I see its lovely new color. I can't wait until the white trim is all done. Our house will look so awesome!

I'm so happy we're also working on our home's interior. This project just seems to be getting bigger and more exciting with each new idea we come up with.

Thanks for being so patient with the black bookcase, by the way. I know it was quite trying for you, (with all the unforeseen interruptions), but you soldiered on and the result was simply beautiful. Wait until I fill it up with more memorable pictures. Then you'll really think it was time well spent.

I'm so glad we share the same taste in furniture and fixtures. Makes it easier that way, don't you think?


(p.s. Check out this endearing family room scene. I was so happy that you let me return the couch to its original place, even though I knew you still had reservations about it.)



Love, Your Wife.

Sapphire and Steel

Dear Daddy,

I was so happy that you knew what I was talking about when I told you I saw "Sapphire and Steel: The Complete Series" on Amazon.com.

I was even happier when you gave me the go-ahead to order it.

I was ecstatic when it came in the mail.

I was delirious with delight when I finally opened it.

But none of that compared to the unmitigated pleasure I felt upon watching it for the first time again, a quarter of a century later.

I still found it scary and unsettling, even after twenty-five years.

Honestly, I don't think I could've watched it alone in the middle of the night, if you weren't there watching it with me.

Thanks for sticking around. I love you too.

Your Wife, the scaredy-cat,
R.

Labor of Love

Dearest Daddy,

As we celebrate Labor Day weekend, I just had to mention your latest labor of love.

Ladies and gents, feast your eyes on my family room's latest fixture, which my loving husband expertly assembled for me, strictly by hand.

No, he didn't set out to make life miserable for himself. His power tool simply wasn't in the mood to cooperate, the batteries failing to charge even when left on the charger overnight. But this didn't faze Dad the Builder, who proceeded to put my beloved shelves together armed with a single Allen wrench.

Special mention goes to Lance and Troy, who helped their Dad too.

And when they were up, all it took was a quick trip to our local Raley's, which was having a sale on maize and rattan organizers and voila...instant wall fixture!

Here's the glamorized version:



Thanks so much, Babe. I love it!

Love and Kisses,
Your Wife

Girls' Day Out

Hi Babe!

Since you told me you'd be picking up the boys from school today (because your classes ended early), I decided to make my special time alone with Reanna a "Girls' Day Out". She seemed to have gotten my vibe. She was particularly ebullient, and her good mood followed us the whole trip.

Since there was an accident on Carpenter, we ended up going back to Kansas and driving the back roads until I found Beckwith. I suspect our daughter wisely used this downtime to take a well-timed nap. By the time we found ourselves on Standiford again, she was up and back to her perky self.

We did lunch at Aloha, the Hawaiian restaurant right by the mall. Since neither of us were too hungry, I just ordered a teriyaki pork chop mini-lunch plate, and it suited us just fine. Reanna helped me with the rice and macaroni salad, but I suspect her favorite course of the meal was the guava nectar we shared. She couldn't drink enough of the stuff

And then we did the usual round of paying bills, first at Circuit City, then at the mall, rewarding ourselves at Gloria Jean's after, where I got that Swiss Orange Mocha blend you got a taste of at the DMV. I think Reanna really liked the look of that drink because she kept trying to grab it from me, even getting as far as putting her mouth on the straw once! I made sure to keep it away from her after that. The last thing I needed was a baby with a caffeine high.

I'm glad we were able to hook up with you at the DMV. Oh, and speaking of the DMV, congratulations on acing your test. Even I didn't get 100% when I took my written test. I only got as far as 97%, and your exam was a lot more difficult.

Good job, Babe. You are definitely on your way...

Your Proud and Loving Wife, R.

School Buzz

Dearest Babe,

Earlier this week, we took our boys back to school.

Earlier today, you were approved for funding to go back to school too!

What a wonderful anniversary present for us, and a pre-birthday blessing for you. God has been so good to us. Praise The Lord!

As we stand, poised on the brink of another adventure in our lives, I cannot help but remember all our other adventures, which led us to where we are now.

And through it all, we have remained steadfast in our love and support for each other. Indeed, your love has sustained me through our toughest times, and for this I will always be grateful.

Just look how far we've come, Babe, and this is just the beginning!

Congratulations, my love. It couldn't have happened to a nicer, more wonderful, more deserving person.

I love you and I am so proud of you,

Your Wife

Countdown to Classes

Dearest Daddy,

I can't believe we're down to the last weekend of the kids' vacation. I'm glad we have something BIG planned for them before we send them back to school on Monday.

I can't help but feel sorry for our poor little princess though. She, out of all of us, will feel the absence of her kuyas much more intensely, particularly Troy's, since he used to spend the whole day with her while Lance was at school.



Has it really been a month already since Lance graduated from kindergarten? Where did all of July go?

Come Monday, Reanna will have to get used to the twice-daily car trips, to take take Troy to and pick him up from preschool. Good thing the heat is starting to lose its edge. Just the thought of schlepping her in and out of her car seat and stroller is enough to make me break out in sweat already.

So here's to enjoying the last days of summer as we know it!

Sweet days of summer
The jasmine's in bloom
July is dressed up
And playing her tune...

Maiden Voyage

Dearest Daddy,

With all the preparations for Troy's coming birthday, I am sad to admit that I failed to record a momentous occasion in our family's history.

The maiden voyage of the HMS Hippo, with no less that HRH Princess Reanna aboard.



It was wonderful to see her take to the water with no fear, just like her Kuya Troy, who also found the courage to forego his floaties that day, in preparation for his upcoming fourth birthday party.



And speaking of "Profiles In Courage", how about Mommy's venture into the water, her first time in years?



You must really be gifted with the power of persuasion, to be able to convince me to jump in the spa, still in my house clothes, the stifling heat your greatest ally. But once I was inside, I didn't regret it.

And we swam on, as a family, late into the night.



I'm glad we were able to do it before the actual swimming party itself.
It was a special moment we all shared, just the five of us, on the eve of Troy's fourth birthday.

What could be more precious than that?

Love,
Your Wife

Movie Night

Hi Daddy!

Don't you just love Movie Nights?

Especially now, since Reanna is big enough to join us. It was such a joy to see her on the sleeping bag last night, wrestling with her kuyas and squealing with delight, it's surprising any of us even got to watch the movie.

Good thing it was "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace", which we already watched in Manila when it first came out. As usual, I found myself falling asleep during the climax (must be the continuous dramatic music and lack of dialogue), but Reanna made sure I didn't miss too much of the movie by climbing all over my different body parts to wake me every so often.

Indeed, ALL of us must've nodded off at one time or another, EXCEPT our super-kulit, super-likot baby daughter. She may be the littlest one in the family, but she can certainly hold her own beside her boisterous brothers.

With her addition into the mix, Movie Nights will never be the same!

Plaque-pakan natin si Lance

Hi Babe.

Sorry for the lame play on words, but I was so proud of our son, Lance, when we went to Knights Ferry, that I really felt he deserved a round of applause.

He was so excited to be able to read many of the words in the plaques he encountered there. He was actually disappointed when he couldn't find any more plaques to read!



Of course, it helped that Mommy was on hand to assist him with the longer, more complicated words, but he was able to handle most of the text on those memorial plaques all on his own. Even Chivas was impressed, especially after I pointed out that his cousin was only five.

I can already see our little boy going places someday.

And I will be every bit as proud of him twenty years hence as I am of him now.

Wonderful Weekend

Hi Babe!

What a wonderful weekend this was.

Spending quality time with my beautiful and loving wife...
four very bright and exceptionaly good looking boys...
and a one-and-only sweetest,
"prettiest baby girl in the whole baby world"...
to me as a Husband and a Father is heaven on Earth.

During daytime, the running, jumping, crawling. climbing and of course the ever-present clowning around may appear like the circus is in town to the untrained eye. But I must admit watching this circus-of-a-family do its thing and having a blast at it just warms my heart to no end.

And at night, huddled up in the family room watching a movie or sharing stories is a common occurence that I always look forward to.

And when the little ones are fast asleep, the non-stop laughing, joking and talking with the big boys always follows until the wee hours of the morning. This is what usally ends my day.

But all of these would not have been as pleasurable without your delicious adobo for Friday, your sensational curried, boneless/skinless chicken breasts cooked in coconut milk for Saturday, and your mouthwatering, slow cooked, tender to the touch pot roast for Sunday.

I really treasured this time we all spent together.

What a fantastic way to kick off summer vacation for our brood!

Love, Dad