Caroleen’s Treasures

Happy Birthday Ella!!!! Our baby is now 5 and is so lady like. I remember when she was born, she was just 3.3 pounds but she grew so fast and she even looked like Buddha She woke up early as what she has planned last night. She was so thrilled it was her birthday and always says she was now 5, no longer 4. Awww….where did the time go? She could not wait to have her own room and always on the sink washing anything she could grab there. She was saying she is a big girl now and demands she would go to school alone.

As planned, she will have a small party in the afternoon. Her Tita Crislyn and Tita CheChe arrived at 1pm. Ella ran to them in excitement and was so proud of the house and the whole place. I am just so glad they made it as I want Ella to have some nice pictures. Crislyn got a new camera, a cannon rebel one. It was so beautiful and takes awesome photos. At 4pm the party began with a prayer. The kids gathered around the table after singing a birthday song to the proud celebrant taking turns to get food. We have cake, spaghetti, buko salad, buttered chicken, quail eggs (courtesy of Inang), orange juice for the kids and coke for me Ella was so happy and she entertained her visitors well, sometimes scolding a kid who is not behaving well. I am happy she had visitors from the church and neighbors. After they ate, they went infront of the chapel and one group of kids outside the fence have been mad jealous about the party that she threw a stone on them hitting one boy in the nose and pricking one girl in the thumb. Ella went so hysterical and wailed like she was the one being attacked. I went there and called the girl, asked her why and told her to say sorry. The girl was sorry and while dhe was saying the words, Ella keeps on crying and gets even louder as the girl says the words After the sorry’s Ella went out with a plate full of spaghetti for them all. Oh Ella was a birthday present from one of the girls. Ella was so excited to announce she has a present…it was a chick!!!! Yes, a chick! A sick chick. I do not know what is wrong but I can tell it is sick. She carried it around and even poses infront of the camera with it.

Kids got balloons too and loot bags…I put in there some glue, ruler and pencil along with candies. They have enjoyed it so much and so Ella does. Inang and Tatang were so welcoming to my sisters and they had a nice time talking until Inang and Tatang has to leave. That gave me more time to pose infront of th camera. Then at almost 7pm, we went to the terminal to send her tita’s home.

Today was a tiring day but seeing Ella so happy is worth the money, time and effort.

It is Sunday again, Ella’s favorite day of the week Woke up earlier than usual and had a nice breakfast. At Sunday School, I have more than ten kids and they behaved well. We had a story about the Prodigal Son and they are so amazed of the picture of the son who ate pig food. As usual Ella led prayer for the opening, for the food and closing prayer as well. I was trying to get the other kids to lead prayer but they just stood infront and never did say any word! They seem to freeze there so Ella always on the rescue, raising her hand and saying she could do it. She did well again in prayers and song leading too. I will train her soon in story telling so she can handle my class and I can attend the bible study and worship service

In the afternoon we are napping when the members came calling from the door. So nap time was called for time-out We had a black out from 9am to 5pm and it was soooo hot that I had a head ache If only we are not too sleepy we could have not slept without fan. Donald had a bible study with the members while I folded the laundry. At 4ish I called Ella and we went to the grocery store to pick some other things needed for her small party tomorrow. She was so excited though and even told one mother at church that she will gonna have a roaster pig tomorrow and invited the kids and moms too Of course Donald have to cut her off by telling them we will only have some spaghetti’s and other dishes but no roasted pig.

At last I have finished arranging the clutter on the two rooms I am kinda crammer you know. I can get myself to do things in the last minute. Donald and I arranged the living room and took out the bed in there to make more room for chairs. I also put a board on the end of the table and put a fabric and a banner. Ella was really thrilled she was having another birthday! She was singing all afternoon and even slept early tonight ‘cos she said she will be up first thing in the morning to sing herself a Happy Birthday.

It was a busy day for everyone here. We woke up and went straight doing house chores. I tried arranging the clutter in the other two rooms and I am pissed off at the BIG mess. Ella went in and out on both rooms the past week, rummaging through the boxes and trash bags of stuffs from Davao. Everyday she wear the Barbie and Tinker Bell costumes that I have got from our bale of “ukay-ukay” (gently used clothes) store. She had this on for a few minutes, acting like the characters while the other kids giggle on her little show. And now I called for a time-out. No one will enter the two rooms. I have it called the “forbidden rooms” and I can hear her tell this to her friends while she sat on the front door, not allowed to step out or else I would return to the store the box full of stuffs for her birthday.

Donald and a couple, Kuya Balong and Ate Edith (the mom and dad of Ella’s stubborn palymates) were here to weed around the churchyard. They are nice couple, I like them…only their kids were so stubborn. I went out to ask what to prepare for lunch as we should let them eat here with their 4 kids. At lunch we all eat out. We had grilled fish and fish soup for lunch and I have fun having company during lunch. We eat out Yes, outside the house. On the shed where my Children’s Class are gathered every Sunday. After the nice meal, I finished tucking the cheap table mantle that I have bought. Donald said our house looked like a real house now with it Ella seconded it too!

In the afternoon, I called Ella in the bedroom for a nap. The power went on and off for several times and I have to fan Ella as it is burning hot like an oven. I was just hoping it won’t rain in the evening as weather here surprises me always. Ate Edith made “biko” (sticky rice cooked with brown sugar and coconut milk) for afternoon merienda. It was soooo good and Ella finished one big serving. When everyone was full, we went back to our own things, scattered around the yard to finish the job by the time sun sets. Tatang and Inang were here twice, they are busy on their projects on lands and titles but promised to be here tomorrow to bring Ella quail eggs. Ella just loved quail eggs like us. We ought a dozen of it at the grocery store yesterday but it was not good. The fresh ones from Tatang and Inang’s poultry are a lot better or should I say the BEST among the rest

While I am writing this post, Ella begged for food. She has eaten dinner and had a glass of milk! She must be in a growth spurt. We went to the kitchen and gave her “biko” and water. After the quick midnight snack, she said “Mommy, alas-onse na o…” (Mommy it is eleven o’clock now) pointing on the wall clock. I looked at it and said “No, it is still ten o’clock.” And explained further how did I tell the time. “When the small hand is pointing on the number ten and the long hand is pointing on the number twelve, it is ten o’clock.” And the eleven o’clock and so on. Then she nodded as if she full understood only to fire me back with question that almost made me feel off my seat…she asked about the “second” hand….”How about the other hand? The fast moving one? Is it still looking for her OWN number?”

Geee…I have just finished doing the laundry this morning and my back really gives me pain As usual I have an ever supportive assistant. I did the rinsing while Donald did the hanging…and Ella…Oh yes, we have a daughter! I almost forgot. She was busy on her surveys around the neighbors yard I called her for a shower when the last piece of cloth was hung, after her ’twas my turn. We went to the market together. Yes TOGETHER…the three of us. Like lion, lioness and the cub out of the jungle. We have to order Ella’s birthday cake since we do not have oven. It was real hard here, bakers are hard to understand what they are trying to say. They don’t have sample pictures and were not sure how much will it be. I must say most people here do not have cakes on birthdays which gives sense of why they seem to be surprised when I placed an order. At last we found one bakery which accepts order BUT the decorations will come from Davao. A good 3 hour drive from here. And I was like, WHAT?! They do not have stocks as what I presumed earlier that people here don’t do birthday cakes. But hey, Ella will only be 5 and she was begging for a cake. So to make the story short, I placed an order for a cake for $12 without knowing what will it look like

Then next we went to the biggest grocery store here, I told you it is the biggest. So we went in and get some things we can use for Ella’s birthday. The disposable plates, forks and spoons and glasses too, ingredients for her most requested spaghetti, some goodies, banner, party hats and we ordered balloons too. She was so excited though as we always tease her that we will only have bread and juice for her and her friends.

My antenna was transferred from the tree up to the top of the chapel. Should have done last week but funds are not available so Donald did the exercise of tree climbing each time the wind blew my antenna to the other direction. Yesterday was pretty slow…I thought I had problems with the antenna itself that is why we contacted the “antenna guy” to transfer its location today. But when I got to read on my sister Crislyn’s blog that her internet connection was down yesterday, I grinned feeling so lucky I had internet the whole day. As the old adage goes “slowly but surely”.

It was the most terrible night here. I got chills and I almost cannot get myself to pull another blanket to keep myself warm. The fan was turned off and windows were shut but it I can feel the cold seeps into my bones. It was the coldest night ever since we moved here.

I went to the grocery store to get a few items and headed straight home. Tatang and Inang arrived shortly from Kabacan and Davao. They have attended two consecutive funerals and I can see how tired they are from the sleepless nights and the 6 hour trip back home. Inang handed money to Ella from Mamang Ising (my mom’s older sister) for her birthday. Mamang Ising and Inang met in Kabacan and was talking about how we are doing here and that she misses Ella so much. She has a grandaughter same age of Ella but Ella is much sweeter and fun to talk to as what she says. Now I am the proud Momma again

There had been many visitors today. After Inang and Tatang arrived, one neighbor came…then the husband…then their two kids…and then the sister-in-law. When they all left, I went washing our sheets and towels. Then came Tatang and Inang’s son with his wife and 1 year-old daughter as the darkness sets in. He happen to be Donald’s friend back in Davao. Ella and Nica (their daughter) played while the daddy’s talked. I soaked the rest of laundry and went back in as it is getting so cold. His wife is nice. We invited them to join us for dinner, so this was our first dinner with company.

Not much going on today. I woke up at the usual time and sat on my pc while Ella still sleeps soundly. I think she must have been tired from yesterdays active play. She also stayed late last night, singing and doing her puzzles while Donald sleeps. She is darn good in her 24 pieces Pooh puzzle She actually got it as a birthday present on her 4th birthday and it was just a few days ago that she enjoyed it and keep on assembling and breaking it just to do it all over again. She has two puzzles and she can finish it in just a few minutes! Her 8 and 9 year old playmates could not do it that fast And I am the proud Momma here She is really growing fast! In a week she will turn 5 and I kept asking myself where did the time go?

Donald wasn’t feeling fine today. He complained on muscle pain and he has a slight fever. I told ya, he is not used to climbing trees that high! But of course he still did his chores around the house and he did some weeding too in the backyard. As I inspected the flower bed around the chapel, I almost cursed the chicken for ruining it. I am thinking of ways to keep them from coming back…maybe putting chicken wire around? But Donald has a better idea. To keep the chicken away is to get them to the frying pan

I had a plan to go to Davao to get my eon card and packages for Ella in the city post but I had a bad feeling on leaving today so the trip to the city was postponed until tomorrow. I am bringing Ella along as Donald has Bible Study in the afternoon and her titas wants to see their niece. As we cannot go home for my mom’s death anniversary, might as well bring Ella along to see them. I really have to get my eon card because a friend of mine will help me sell in ebay. I need this for the ebay thing and I need to withdraw my first earnings from blogging too to pay for my computer.

I forgot to tell you that Ella spent almost half day in neighbor’s house yesterday while I was gone. The father of his friend Charlie celebrated his birthday yesterday and this little gate crasher of ours went there without our knowledge. They rented a videoke machine (a machine where you drop coins or token for the song to play) and the kids took turns on the microphone. The loud music goes on until the wee hour in the morning and I was praying that there will be power interruption (but not in our house!). I woke up early only to hear the loud music again :-(  Ella was saying she didn’t had the chance to sing yesterday. She is good in singing the song Narda and when she sees videoke machines she will grab the mike and request for her song Yesterday she just sat there, I asked why she didn’t sang and she said she don’t have five pesos to pay for one song. Poor Ella She was almost punished when she escaped again after asking her Daddy is she could play outside under the shed. Donald allowed her but she must not go anywhere…she went there and played with the wood blocks from the neighbor’s furniture shop. We are doing our own chores and we kept on checking her through the window. She was playing alone and seemed so occupied with it….moments later she was not there and nowhere to be found. We knew then where she went. Donald followed her in the neighbor’s house again and when he was about to give her punishment when she started blabbering…”Mommy the birthday of Charlie’s Daddy is not yet over…how come it was not? And oh…Daddy I saw the pigs in the pigpen and they all look the same! The baby pigs are pink and the mommy is pink too…but they don’t have a daddy in there…” What else could we do but turn away from her and giggle. She really has a new way to get out of trouble.

Today’s Donald’s birthday and I am sooo happy ’cause we have the same age now! LOL I am 4 months older ya know. Somebody sent a few $$ for a dinner date but it takes a few days to clear so what we had is a small cake! We’ll postpone the dinner date until we got the money

Ella is super active today. She played in the morning until in the afternoon. She almost forgot to eat lunch. I called her in when darkness sets in. We were lying in bed when she keeps saying “thank you mommy” and putting wet kisses on my cheek. I asked her why she’s saying thank you, she said “because I am receiving many gifts on my birthday”. Yeah she’ll be getting packages from the heroes in the US and I am excited too. I said we will take a nap (nap? It’s almost 6pm!) so she will grow fast. Then she answered “I don’t want to grow because you will ask me to do this…do that…then I have many house chores then” What a smart answer! She also threw a question last night that I didn’t know if I have asked it myself when I was her age. While I am putting her to sleep, she asked “Mommy, why is it our breath will go on and on while we are sleeping?” Hmmm……this questions scares me! This is it…the question and answer portion until she’s 18 or so. I have to be ready for more neck breaking questions. LOL

EDIT: My sister, Kuya Ace and her parents-in-law went dowtown to pick some groceries. They included spaghetti ingredients for Donald’d burpday and Kuya Ace bought chicken too. The good thing here is the birthday boy prepared his own spaghetti! LOL Bye for now, I’d be helping him before he’ll walk out

Yesterday, Ella played with two boys (I guess they are around eight or nine). When I woke up this morning, they are already on the adjacent lot waiting for Ella. I went outside to bring out the laundry that hasn’t dried and saw the two boys and two girls! So now it was multiplied and it scared. I told her this is not our house and she shouldn’t call the kids over to play. But Ella didn’t call them, they just appeared from nowhere. Maybe from the house at the back. The girls were also the same age as the boys I guess. What else could you expect for a girl who hasn’t played with REAL kids? She dashed outside upon hearing the commotion and was excited to see the girls. They played almost all day having just a few minute break for lunch. When Donald went to the mall to check my sister’s account (cause she couldn’t get off her online job) I sent Ella along to have two rides of merry-go-round and see some real kids. (And to send the girls home too) I felt guilty because when I try to explain my point, we ended up having this short battle of wits:

Me: Pauwiin mo na sila baka hinahanap na sila ng Tatay nila. Dito ka na sa loob maglaro (Send them home now, their father might be looking for them. Come play inside.)               

Ella: Mommy, gusto ko ng kalaro. (Mommy, I want somebody to play with.)                       

Me: Laruin mo si Carrot. (You play with Carrot)                                                                   

Ella: Gusto ko ‘yong nagsasalita….’Yong totoo. hindi naman nagsasalita si Carrot. Bakit kasi hindi pa ninyo ako bigyan ng kapatid…(I like one who talks…Carrot doesn’t talk. Why don’t you give me a baby sister…..)

That ends our debate. I lost. A.G.A.I.N.

Here’s a photo of Ella nd Carrot (Excuse the picture quality…I only used my cellphone here)

Anyway, there are things that I should be celebrating today. One is, my blog is approved by Link Worth. Yipee!!!  and I am working on my essay to submit for Academia Research. Hopefully, if my essay get approved I can earn $$$ for writing essays! And most of all, it’s my Daddy’s 54th birtdhay!  Well, he’s not with us in Davao. We rarely spent time togther since he’s in our small farm in Pagadian but we will see him on Mamang’s 2nd death anniversary in May. Daddy just loves living in the farm which makes him closer to nature. He loves fishing very much and I usually go with him when I was a kid. He taught me from hunting for worms in the backyard which I will put in my hook as a bait, to finding the good spot in the river to throw my string. We will leave the house early in the morning and have to walk a few miles to reach the river. My sister Crislyn never went with us since she just loves staying at home and my younger sister was just a baby then. My fish pole, which Daddy carefully made, has three hooks which catches three fishes in just one sitting. After a day of fishing, we will walk home when the sun sets with our catch of carps, tilapia and electric ells. Oh I missed grilled fish fresh from the river.

Daddy was then in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and he raised us in military way. We were not allowed to talk infront of the food nor we are not allowed to talk about other people’s lives. To him gossip is what average people does. “Mano” and the use of “po” and “opo” are a few things we couldn’t forget. Daddy is hardworking and very disciplined person. I didn’t hear him say unpleasant things to other people even how mean they are. But inspite of how good he is, Daddy is not a good businessman. He has tried different businesses and all failed. To him, when people couldn’t remit the day’s earnings he still gives them stocks for the next day. He always say “How can the pay their debt when they have nothing to sell today?” And this goes on and on until they couldn’t pay anymore the debt they owed him. When we ask him why he won’t go after them and demand for their payments, he would just answer “They will pay if they want.” Worst thing is, some of them even denied that they owe him money and he will just shrug and say “Bahala na ang Diyos sa kanila.” This we call Daddy’s CHARITY work.