Caela turns two!

As the cliche goes, "Time flies so fast." Our baby just turned two on Philippines' Independence Day. My sister and I decided for a green polka dot and stripe pool party. Mint green was on my mind while planning the party - for a feminine touch. It turned out that bookstores in Gensan have scarcity for color variations. Oh, craft stores, I wish you exist on this side of the world! But a trying hard good craft-maker is resourceful. :) Thus, we made use of whatever was available and I think everything turned out to be beautiful. Love is on the handmade details.

Customized polka dot and stripe balloons

Polka dot and stripe balloons

    I pumped the balloons using a balloon inflator sold for about Php50 in a local department store. These big balloons were sold for about Php100 per dozen, balloon sticks about Php30 per dozen. I accessorized the balloons with white polka dots and stripes using bond papers.

Bunting

    My sister made the bunting from used cartolinas and bond papers.

The Number 2

   My brother-in-law made the giant number 2 from a used styrofoam - the one from an appliance packaging. Who would have thought something good could result from an almost trash thingy. 

Cupcake toppers and monograms

    My sister is such an artist. She designed the cupcake toppers and the monograms for the loot bags. She even made those pretty ribbons.

Loot bags

   These striped yellow green loot bags were made from wall papers. The bear key holders were bought for super cheap prices.

   
Cake and cupcakes
    The cake and cupcakes were made by Caela's ninang Marian. I also made some banana muffins but failed to take a photo of them.

 

The prettiest pool in Gensan is in Gensan View Resort. It was just fitting to celebrate Caela's birthday there. They have clean pools, well maintained landscapes, photogenic venue and most of all, friendly staff. They did not give us a hard time booking them. :) I really like it when the crew of a business establishment are accommodating and extra caring. It means to me that they have good employers who don't just want put up a business for the sake but to offer excellent service.

Happy birthday our smart and pretty little one. I'm excited for the day when you can read Tata's blog and find this post. :) As of now, enjoy your water colors and colored pencils. You already know how to draw rainbows, pigs, and stars, at least in your eyes and ours. :) You also draw faces of Papsy, Nana, Mama, Papa, Tito Jan, Tito Bobet, Mommy, Ko May, and mine. We say that you're doing good at it although we only see scratches of small circles and spirals all over your crumpled bond paper. Keep up the good work baby girl. Surprise us in your next art work. You are loved! :)

White Water Rafting in Cagayan De Oro City

Right after we attended a wedding in Bukidnon, we took a 3-hour bus ride to Cagayan de Oro City. The city is famous for its white water rafting. Well, it was not really white that day because it rained the night before. They said it was a good thing because water level was high so there was low probability of our raft turning upside down.

Low probability. How low is that? 10%? 20? 22.4? C'mmon! I am such a sucker for certainty. I don't want to be confronted by unexpected circumstances. So tell me right now what to expect. *Sigh. But of course, life offers so many uncertainties which sometimes go with beautiful opportunities. And even if I feel helpless, I choose to jump into the experience.

My friends are the bravest human beings I know, while I'm the most coward. These people like life-threatening activities - the exact opposites of my kind of adventure. I only want to watch the sunrise and the sunset, walk the city streets, and see the landmarks named in my grade school history book. But I thought, I  already traveled 11 hours from General Santos to Cagayan de Oro, so I might as well give it a try.

We took the beginner's course of 14 rapids for approximately 3 hours. I never thought I'd try the river rafting. I did not know where I found the courage to paddle forward and back, to scream when the rapids are extra tough, to hold on to the ropes and right after, laugh. "High five!", was our scream when we passed a rapid. There were only 14 rapids but I think we had 50 high five's. Kudos to our very humorous guide, Kuya Dodo (or Jojo) and his buddy. The still waters almost bored us but Kuya Dodo acted like Vice Ganda and washed away all the boredom. 

Believe it or not I want to do it again or even better, try the advance course! Haha! (Yabang ah.)

Thank you friends for giving me little pushes (ok, big) to convince me to do this. I would have missed 1/3 of my life. :) Thank you for all the many knee-trembling, heart-pumping exciting moments we've had.

I am not your typical adventurous girl but I would like to believe I'm turning into one. :) Well, at least about 30.2%! :)

P.S. Great White Water Tours gave us above satisfactory service so I would like to share their FB page here.


Rates for beginner's course: White Water Rafting in Cagayan de Oro City

• P700 - 14 Rapids, rafting only, short course, no meal, 5 pax min (or P700 extra for every emtpy slot), transfers, guides, gears
• P900 - 14 Rapids w/ Meal and Snack, rafting only, short course, 5 pax min (or P700 extra for every emtpy slot), transfers, guides, gears

Easy Recipe: Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
   1    teaspoon baking powder
   1    teaspoon baking soda
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   3    large bananas, mashed  (or 7-9 medium bananas)
   3/4 cup white sugar
   1    egg
   1/3 cup butter, melted


Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
1. Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt). Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl with the butter, stir in sugar gradually until fully incorporated.
3. Stir in egg.
4. Stir in bananas.
5. Fold in flour mixture and mix until smooth. Do not over mix.
6. Spoon the batter into muffin liners (or sheets) in a muffin tray.
7. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

This mixture makes 18 muffins.

Very easy banana muffin recipe. :)

Easy Recipe Series

I am starting a new series on this blog! :) I love to bake! I love it so much that I can do it all day long forgetting about the time. Well, because it really takes time. There are days, however, when I just want to bake something quick. Thus, I want to have (and share) a collection of quick and easy recipes! :) 

This will not be just about baking (I hope). Rest assured that the recipes that I will be sharing are tried and tested. Meaning, these have passed through discriminating taste buds. :) Thus, worth sharing with your own family and friends.

P.S. Please see my  Creamy Carbonara recipe shared few years back. :)

Yummy Gensan: Chicken Mushroom Pasta at Cafe France

This is my kind of resto. Comfort food at its finest!!! *I'm screaming on top of my lungs. Hehe. I love everything about Cafe France - the yellow walls, the amazing wall accents, the colorful and interesting furnitures, the oh-so-pretty tablewares, the lovely crew, and of course, the yummy and delicious dishes!

They have almost  the same menu as other restaurants like them but I don't know what they do that they taste so interestingly different! I am particularly impressed by their chicken mushroom pasta. I think they use linguettine pasta on this one because its width is a little smaller than fettucini but a little bigger than spaghetti. :) Having a different pasta on a usual dish is already a plus! And the taste! Boy, was it the best chicken pasta I'd tasted my whole life! I don't kid! The creaminess and the blending of the spices are just right! 

Chicken Mushroom Pasta at Cafe France, SM Gensan

Good food, good health, good future --- Cafe France, Gensan

Pumpkin Soup

Potato Salad

Fresh Orange Juice and the amazing interior of Cafe France Gensan

This was a few months back. I was joined by a very dear friend since high school, Bibay. She now lives and works in Laguna so her short visits to Gensan every once in a while are all we have to catch up. It was nice seeing you again, Bay! :)

Location: Cafe France at the ground floor of SM Gensan

Wedding in Bukidnon

Rommel and Shiella's wedding was one of the most beautiful weddings I've attended. It was very evident in numerous songs and dances that music was a significant part of their lives. The bride even sang as she walked down the aisle! How touching could that be! :)

We traveled all the way to Bukidnon to celebrate with their love and relationship. That was 8 hours of bus ride! But I loved bus rides as long as Bonamine was on my side. :)

Monastery of Transfiguration, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon

 
 

 Congratulations Mr and Mrs Jagus! May God bless your marriage! :)