smash!

dear mazi,

it was a smash or should i say i got SMASHED!! oh man, that badminton game we had last saturday was really a total workout for me!! i couldn't remember the last time i sweat that much. it really felt so good!

it was a good decision that we (you, mom and i) joined mom's officemate in their weekly badminton games in the gym. it was worth all the effort, getting out of bed earlier than our usual and dressing up the part....as if we really know how to play the game. boy, we were in for a huge surprise!

i didn't know that mom's friends and her friends were so good at eat...they are really pro!! i mean, taking lessons and religiously going to the gym to practice every week. but me being me, didn't want to lose face, so i stood up to the challenge and played with them for two hours. my oh my, did they really made me work on my game! at least, they are nice bunch of people, so it didn't matter even if we looked so amateur.

the downside is, i have been sore since then. today at work was hard coz i wasn't feeling good. i think i'm getting sick or something.

you also did good in your badminton practice with me and mom. although it was funny that you were using your tennis racket instead of badminton. well, let's see if you want to continue playing, then, we will buy your own badminton racket.

so, how was your monday at school? i'm really happy and proud that you are really doing great in school. and your enthusiasm for studying is really amazing!

well, continue doing what you do best and keep on learning.

love you,

dad

you can roast me all you want!

dear mazi,

oh, was i glad to be home after that grueling afternoon in the office. so, what's for dinner?

tita nancy did roast chicken with lemongrass and herbs and spring rolls with sweet potato and beets. i quickly made mango salsa to accompany the chicken aside from the gravy that tita nancy did from the drippings. it was sooo good. i saw that you finish a quarter of the chicken and lots of gravy!

as you may have know by now, cooking is my way of de-stressing. good thing that i really love to cook at least it is an easy way to relieve me from my frustration and stress at work.

i know, tomorrow will be a new day. but i am also sure that my work is still there waiting for me. its so hard to be a one-man-department. i am doing everything!!! not that i am complaning, but sometimes it gets frustrating. at least now i have this outlet - blogging!

anyway, i already digressed from the topic above, point is, the dinner was good!! loved it!!

ok, tomorrow, tita nancy will cook arroz caldo coz you just caught the cold bug. oh my. i hope you get well soon!!

love you girl,

dad

BOD

dear mazi,

it was a heavy day for daddy. i needed to present to the board of directors (BOD) my audit report to two of our branches. it was tough. i thought it will just be the usual discussion and then that's it. boy, i am wrong. i was in the boardroom for about two hours getting drilled and questioned about every single items in the report. the funny thing is, it wasn't me who was getting blamed but the whole system in the company. its a little bit complicated. i am just so tired of answering all the questions. but then again, it is part of the job!

anyway, i've always aspired to be in a higher position in a company. but as every single day passes, and as getting more exposed to the kind of stress and responsibilities that the bosses here in my office has to endure, i don't think i want to live that kind of life. i have seen how my president and my cfo gained so much weight and aged a lot during the past two years that i was here.

i know this entry is getting boring but what can i do? it's been crappy here at work the past days. i don't know. i'm not feeling too happy these days. i need to do some thinking. oh well, that's the life of an employee.

ok, til here.

love you,

dad

perfect test = $5

dear mazi,

it's quite funny that what i've experienced when i started primary school is now being resurrected in you. the only difference is the amount of money involved.

do you know what i'm talking about? its about what your mama odes told you....if you get perfect scores in your exams in school, she will give you $5! wow, that's so generous of mama!! whereas, during our time, my dad and mom would give me a peso(!) you know how much a peso is? the conversion as of today is $1=P45. that just means, your $5 is equivalent to P225 at today's rate. Wow!

but what is funnier is that you didn't want to accept mama's payment to you tonight because you thought mama didn't have much money and you just wanted to earn the money by yourself when you grow older. that was a double wow!! hehehehe.

nonetheless, mom and i are quite impressed with how you are doing in school. we are so happy with how you are progressing. please continue trying and putting your best in everything that you do. stay happy and healthy!!

i love you,

dad

webkinz galore

dear mazi,

so, are you happy with all the webkinz you got? your collections of webkinz just keeps on growing, of course, thanks to daddy, right? it was funny that i tried to look for it the whole week in the mall in edmonton, but only found one store that sells them $2 more than the ones back in richmond. so, i just gambled on thinking that there will be some of it in the airport. lucky me, err, you, there was this stall that sells all kids' stuff. and again, lucky you, it was on sale, buy 2 take 1 free. that's the reason why you got 3!!

i saw how ecstatic you were when you opened the bag containing them. that made me so happy too. but what really felt great was the hug and kisses you gave me when you see me on the door!! you are soooo sweet!! i hope you will continue to be like that when you grow older....you know, the things we talked about that i am hoping you will be as sweet to daddy even when you are already a teenager or in your twenties. its not wishful thinking, right?

i like your webkinz too, its so cuddly and cute. well, i just hope that this collection will last a little bit longer than the ones you had before.

ok, til my next trip, let's see what else i can find for you.

love you,

daddy

bored

dear mazi,

what do you do when you are bored? are you like me who eats and reads when bored? or maybe you are like mommy who loves to sleep? anyway, it has been a long week for me being away from you and mommy. i'm actually getting tired of doing this visits to our branches. it gets tiring and repetitive.

do you know what is my usual gadgets companion everytime i travel? it is always my laptop (thank God they provided me a new one - lighter and smaller - compared to the one i had for the past 2 yrs), my pda, my ipod and my small wallet. oh and of course my digital camera. see, im so bored, this post has no substance. hehehe.

i am so looking forward going home tomorrow. i cant get enough sleep in the hotel, i am missing our bed. plus i guess, there is really nothing to do here after office hours. can you believe, my routine for the past 4 days have been, go to work, go back to the hotel, freshen up, get dinner outside, go back to the hotel, watch tv, sleep, then go to work again. i tried to go to the gym the other day, it was good coz after i finished, i went straight to the hot tub. i have the whole pool and hot tub to myself.

so, how about you? how's school? are you still doing good in school? i'll talk to you later.

love you,

dad

pity

dear mazi,

i'm currently working on one of our old branches here in edmonton. it is really in a sad state. the carpets are so old and dilapidated, there's dust all over the place and to top it all, there is no roof insulation (as if you know what i mean). it is so warm today and since i am sitting in one of the desks in the mezzanine floor, it was so tough, i am having a terrible headache now.

i also had a very stressful discussion with one of the salesman here coz of salary issues. you know, if i can only give them the raise they're wanting, i would love to but it's not up to me. i hope, though, that the management will look into it because it has been a recurring issue since the time i work for this company. good thing, i am happy with what i am getting (if they will raise it too, i will be very happy!).

anyway, day is almost done again, three more days and i will be back home. im missing you and mommy a lot. our little fights and hugs and bike rides and all other silly stuff we do.

i'm wrapping up now coz i'm so tired and sleepy. i wasn't able to get enough sleep last night. i am again suffering from problem sleeping in other beds. or maybe im just making some excuses.

see you my princess,

dad

Location: Edmonton

dear mazi,

i'm bored! guess what, daddy is sooo sleepy. didn't get enough sleep last night. although it was fun hearing you read the archie comics to me. then, you fell asleep. oh well. the flight this morning from vancouver to edmonton was uneventful. it was the usual boarding, fly, touch down kind of routine.

now, im at work but can't seem to put things together. i've been staring at my two screens for the past 2 hours. i'm wishing that time flies so i could go back home soon. oh well, part of the job, i.e., for me to travel and visit our other locations.

i might meet with tita yna's siblings here though, so that would be another thing different. im sure they will again prepare lots of food which of course will put my diet plan off track again.

ok, take care of mommy, keep her company tonight and the next 3 nights. i will be back friday afternoon. have you thought of something for me to bring from here? drop me a note or a call when you get the chance.

love you,

dad

happy.happy.happy

dear mazi,

wow, last night was a blast. i took off from work at noontime to pick up your bday cake and to grab a bunch of crabs and a couple of fresh-looking fish.

when i get to the house, nancy was already so busy preparing the feast for the celebration of your bday. so, i jumped in and started prepping the fish and the crabs. just as planned, i cooked sole and tilapia ala pobre and chili garlic crabs. i also set-up the wonton shells and the condiments for tacos.

while you were upstairs playing with your friends from school (anika and donna), we started moving the food to the clubhouse. at this time, your cousins arrived with ninong jr and tito alvin. they went to the pool and had a great swim. you wanted to join them but mom and i didnt allow you coz your friends wont have nobody to play with. so you guys just instead went to the theater room and had fun playing and watching videos.

your lolo and lola arrived just few minutes after we set up the buffet. went to the food straight coz they said they're starving. after that, other guests and friends started to arrive.

you were so happy to have received so many gifts, most of them money as what you have wanted. they were also all praises of the food. we had quite a good spread. from the wonton tacos to the customary noodles. as expected, dad's chili garlic crabs was a hit and so with the fish ala pobre. it was heartwarming to see and hear people appreciating our cooking. it was all worth the effort.

the adults also had a few drinks while all of you kids were at the theather room having fun.

all in all, it was again a wonderful gathering with family and friends to celebrate your 8th birthday.

let's see what we will be having next year.

til then,

love,

dad

sleepy

dear mazi,

today was a slow day for daddy. i kept on yawning in the office the whole day. nothing much to talk about my work coz its all the same sh*t anyway.

oh, before i forget, i already finalized my trip to edmonton on monday. i will be there the whole week (5 days) so it will be just you and mommy again (of course, tita nancy will be just in another room. keep mommy company in our room on the nights that i am away, ok?

i'll see what i can get for you on this trip to edmonton. i know you loved the surpise webkinz i brought home from my trip to calgary. would you like some more webkinz or you want something else?

i am excited for your birthday celebration on friday. me and tita nancy are going to cook a lot again. mommy will take care of some desserts and other stuff for you. our friends and family already confirmed their attendance to your party. it will be a blast, im sure.

anyway, i'll try to do another post tomorrow, something more sensible, hehehe.

love,

dad

today you are 8

dear mazi,

how time flies.... today, you turn 8! i've always wanted to document our small family's activities since you came to our lives. from the time mommy had you in her tummy to the day you were born and to the days that followed.

anyway, this is just my first entry to this blogworld where my main objective is to document our lives stories so that when we grow older and wiser, we will have something to read together, to reminisce together, and to laugh together.

let this blog be the witness to our journey in what we all call life...

i love you my dear princess, happy birthday!! remember that daddy and mommy will always be here for you.

love,

dad