87 Gentle Street*

Prada Mama No More

2011-04-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to 87 Gentle Street, the new home of "The Prada Mama Chronicles".

Yes, two and a half years after my last post, I am officially laying Prada Mama to rest on Blogger's familiar fertile ground. I will always be thankful for the ministration and support of my blogger friends at Pansitan.net, particularly Gigi "Ate Sienna" Manaloto and Nicanor "BatJay" David. It was through their encouragement (and BatJay's wife, Jet's example), that I came out with a second blog which would eventually eclipse the original; inventing a persona who was sometimes brash,
always opinionated, yet never apologetic.

But a lot has happened since then. For one, my husband and I were rebaptized and have since rededicated our lives to the Lord. Secondly, all of my kids are now in school, which leaves very little time for blogging, and even if I DID find time to blog, it would not be under the "Prada Mama" moniker, which sounds decidedly worldly and simply not "me" anymore. (Although our children have been blessed to go to a private Christian school for the past five years, we now live very simply.)

But all that doesn't change the third reason which is solely responsible for my silence. Simply put, I now have a Facebook account, which streamlines the process of information dissemination, not to mention social interaction, so effectively that blogging has been rendered obsolete. Want to know my status? Read your News Feed. Want to see how much my kids have grown? Check out my Photos. Can't find them? Friend me! If you really and truly know me, you'll find me. And if I really and truly know you, I'll accept your friend request!

Yet Facebook's Notes pages are decidedly ugly and nondescript, and it's not the same as reading a REAL blog. So if you're in the mood to slow things down, just get off the next exit on the Facebook Superhighway. Take the time to explore the web's side streets, meander through its back roads, and remember to stop and smell the flowers every now and then. And maybe, just maybe, you'll come upon this blog, written by a mother at a time when she could still chronicle her children's journeys of discovery through those long, languid days before preschool.

And since you've found yourself at my doorstep, may I invite you in for a story or two?

Welcome to 87 Gentle Street.

2008-11-17T11:29:00.000-08:00

DOUBLE HAPPINESS

If you will please indulge a proud mother...

I took a picture of the CVCA Honor Roll posted in my sons' school. If you click on it, you will see a familiar name in the left column, reserved for those whose grades were between 3.7 and 4.0 in the first quarter. Yes, that's my son, Lance, under the S's. He is in third grade this year, the first year where a student gets past Excellent and Satisfactory, to actual As and Bs.

On the day of our first Parent-Teacher Conference this year, Lance gave Lorenzo and me the best present any parent can have: a 3.75 on his first quarter report. At first, this didn't register with me since I wasn't used to this kind of grading system. I even asked his teacher, Mrs. Mathews, if that was a good grade. (See, when I was growing up in UPIS and UP, we were graded on the eleven point system, where the highest grade was 1.0, followed by 1.25, 1.5 and so on, etc., so for me "3.75" sounded like "1.75", which was still a good grade but not by any means stellar in my book.) But when his teacher explained that his grade was just points shy from a 4.0, it all clicked for me and I was fairly flushed with pride.

My son and I have always bumped heads during homework time. And although his former teacher informed me that he was reading at almost 8th grade reading level, it was just something I took in stride since he has always been a voracious reader. I didn't want to expect too much this early on, especially since I knew there was a huge transition between 2nd and 3rd grades. But when I received the results of his ITBS Testing, it only confirmed that it wasn't a fluke:

"Lorenzo (a.k.a. Lance) earned a Composite grade equivalent of 6.3 on the Level 9 test. This means that his test performance was approximately the same as that of a typical student in the sixth grade at the end of the third month. Lorenzo's Composite national percentile rank of 99 means that he scored higher than 99% of third grade students nationally. His overall achievement appears to be high for third grade."

(This got the stage mother in me wondering if there was such a thing as "99+" in the ITBS. I remember being really impressed when my best friend scored 99 in the NCEE (the National College Entrance Exams in the Philippines), only to discover that I actually got a 99+.)

But anyway, I digress. The point is that my son has done me proud, and I wanted to reward him in a big way.

Since his birthday was coming up, I decided to throw him a surprise party. I invited some family friends and his whole class, which wasn't such a big deal, since he goes to a private Christian school where the entire third grade is comprised of only 13 students.

The week before the party, I started calling all the parents to see who could come. HIs birthday was on Wednesday, November 12, but I decided to hold it a day earlier, which also happened to Veteran's Day, a holiday for schools like Reanna's preschool, but a regular school day at CVCA. Since I was the Scholastic volunteer for the class, I was able to pass out the invitations tucked inside the book order flyers, including authorization notes for parents to sign so we could pick up their kids from the After School Program.

And since I knew that kids would invariably talk, I conveniently scheduled a pizza lunch on his actual birthday with Mrs. Mathews, who was in on the secret and played her part beautifully. That way, if anyone ever mentioned the word "party", we would make Lance think if was about his pizza party at school.

Veteran's Day broke bright and early, which made me quite happy since the weather report said it would be mostly cloudy the whole day. While the boys were at school, Daddy and I worked on the gazebo at Roeding Heights park in Ceres, my chosen venue for the event.

It was the perfect place for a picnic in the park. It was big enough for the 40-50 guests I was expecting, it was right beside the play area and the rest rooms AND it had lights and electricity, in case the party went way into the night.

At the stroke of 3:15, I picked up Lance and Troy while my husband hid in the parking lot, picking up some of Lance's classmates when we left. The rest of the class headed to the park with their parents, waiting for the honored guest to arrive. While they were setting up, I took Lance and Troy to pick up the birthday cake which Lance chose earlier, an Indiana Jones chocolate cake which said "Have a whipping Happy Birthday, Lance!", per the birthday boy's request.

Lance wanted to know why we were picking up his cake early, so I told him I had too many things to do to get ready for his pizza party the next day. Then I said we had to pick up Reanna from a play date in the park.

When we pulled up to Roeding Heights park, there were so many vehicles parked in front of the gazebo that it obstructed the view. So far, so good. As we got out of the car, I made it a point to engage Lance in conversation, so when he finally turned around to see all his friends thronged around the HUGE banner, which read "SURPRISE! HAPPY 9th BIRTHDAY, LANCE!", his jaw just dropped. The look on his face made all the effort worth it!

Of course, I couldn't have pulled it off without the help of my friends: Debye, who makes the most awesome salad and brought a heaping bowl of it to the party, and Donna, who helped her put the finishing touches on the decor while Lorenzo and I got the kids; Elssy, also known as "Mrs. Banner" in CVCA, for the beautiful banner she made for Lance; Melissa, who cooked her famous pancit, and Esther, who helped man the grill where Lorenzo cooked the hot dogs and veggie dogs for our picnic. She was also in charge of the children's games, organizing an Egg Toss, an Egg Relay and a Scavenger Hunt.

It was a wonderful party, with many people staying way past sundown. At the end of the day, Lance thanked Daddy and me for his early birthday surprise. But the celebration wasn't over yet, because his REAL birthday was coming up!

He didn't know that I had another cake planned for him, an Optimus Prime cake I designed with a store-bought cake, some fancy candles and a Happy Meal toy. When his classmates saw it, they said, "Wow, we get to have cake two days in a row?" I guess if you have two parties in a row, you can!

When I sent him to bed on his birthday, Lance still couldn't stop talking about his double celebration. He thanked me again for making his birthday extra-special. I gave him a hug and he gave me a kiss. I looked at my son, not quite believing he was already nine. These last two cakes would be the last with single candles on them. My boy was fast growing up.

In the end, I couldn't resist myself. I just had to hear it. "Do you feel loved?" I ask.

"Yes," he answers simply.

"Good," I say, "Because you are."

2008-07-31T23:13:00.000-07:00

SOONER OR LATER

POP QUIZ: Who can remember swooning and sighing to the following song:

SIMPLY JESSIE
Music by Stephen Lawrence, Lyrics by Bruce Hart
Sung by Rex Smith
From the book and movie, "Sooner or Later"

And I don't know how I knew it
But I knew it somehow,
You're the answer to the question
No one's answered 'til now.

And I don't know what you see
What you see in me,
But girl it's nothing to
What I see in you.

Stars that glisten, lips for kissin'
Honey, listen, it's true
No one ever loved you better
Love you honey...

And I've known a girl or two
But none of them was you
And they could never be
What you are to me

Stars that glisten, lips for kissin'
Honey, listen, it's true
No one ever loved you better
Love you, honey,
I love you

Hmmm, I love you
Oh-oh, I love you, uh-huh
I love you, Mmm,

I love you.

ANSWER: Your age is showing!

Like most girls who experienced their first blush of love in the early eighties, I've held this song close to my heart through all these years. It was the most romantic song I'd ever heard. Those unmistakeable first few bars on the guitar was a siren call which would summon me from whatever it was I was doing to the nearest radio, where I would listen, transfixed, to Rex Smith's voice and imagine he was singing to, well, ME of course!

"Simply Jessie" was just one of those songs that dripped romance. The storybook, fairytale-movie kind of romance favored by prepubescent girls in their freshman year in High School. And just like Jessie, the 13-year-old protagonist in the book and the made-for-TV-movie, "Sooner or Later", I was a HOPELESS ROMANTIC, eagerly awaiting my first love.

Well, my "first love" has obviously come and gone, and my second and third besides. After my first serious relationship, which would last throughout my freshman year in UP Diliman, I would have two more serious relationships, both of them long-term, one which would last for six years and was headed for the altar, and the other which actually made it there, but unfortunately did not make it past the same six-year shelf-life.

Accompaniment to these relationships were songs which would weave themselves into the soundtrack of my life: "Victims" by Culture Club, "I Don't Need You" by Rupert Holmes, even "Lady in Red" by Chris deBurgh, but sadly, even though one of my former flames had Michael Skye's good looks and one of them (classically trained in music), his musical ability, none of my exes would bring me back to that time capsule in my life, where my breathless, bright-eyed, blushing alter-ego still swooned and sighed at the sight of Rex Smith (who played Michael Skye in the movie) singing "Simply Jessie" for me and me alone.

All these years, I had THE song, but no man who deserved to sing it. And so it remained MY song, as opposed to "our" song. A song I enjoyed in private, which evoked memories, not of the men who shared my life, but of my long-lost Prince Charmings, the teen idols of my youth: Jimmy MacNichol, Leif Garrett, Shaun Cassidy, Parker Stevenson, and of course, Rex Smith.

Yes, I'll admit I used to read Teen Beat, 16 and Tiger Beat back in those days, even though my cousin, Tina Gaerlan, wrinkled her nose in disdain at my "bakya" taste, telling me my teen magazines were the equivalent of "Kislap" in the States and I was better off reading "Seventeen". (I was in "masa" UPIS and she was from "sosyal" Poveda, but she would later join me in that proud bastion of the Great Unwashed, UP Diliman.)

But I digress. My point is that after three long-term relationships and a sprinkling of mild to serious flirtations, I had yet to meet my "Michael Skye". A man who could turn my legs to butter just at the mention of my name, whose mere touch could reduce me to putty, whose smile could brighten up my entire universe. Such a man could only be a product of fiction, right?

Right. Eleven years ago, that's exactly what I would've said. "Right."

But then someone came my way, close to the stroke of midnight, eleven years ago, who made me believe again. A man who was so good-looking, people would turn their heads and stare; so strong, he could lift you with one arm, yet so gentle he would sing to your hair in the dark and spend the rest of the night in the same uncomfortable position just so you could sleep, unhindered, in his arms.

He was everything I found attractive in a man: makisig, matipuno, moreno. And did I fail to mention super-lakas ng dating? Yet he was shy, humble, self-effacing. Pure salt of the earth. I couldn't believe he was for real. And I fell for him. Hard.

Life was so uncertain back then, and our love grew in a vacuum, enclosed in our own little corner of the world facing Manila Bay. It was then that I learned how to love without expecting anything in return. It was enough for me to gaze at him while he was sleeping and marvel at how beautiful he was, even in his tousled state. I couldn't believe my luck. I had found my Michael Skye, and just like Jessie in the movie, he only had eyes for me!

I knew I would get it right, "sooner or later"! And now, eleven years down the road and twenty-eight years since my freshman year in High School, "Simply Jessie" sounds fresh as ever, because now I've finally found someone I'm willing to share it with. Someone who truly deserves it. Someone who promised me he would learn to play it in his guitar and sing it for me. And someone whose voice could finally do justice to the song.

I am truly blessed. I have finally found my storybook hero. And I'm married to him. Yes, life goes on, even after the credits read "The End". And I'm glad to say that in the book that is my life, in my very own made-for-TV-movie, I'm still living, and writing, that happy ending. With him by my side.

Happy anniversary, my love. I still thank the Lord for you, everyday.

To quote another Rex Smith song from the movie, even after knowing you all these eleven years, you still "take my breath away"!

Love, R.

2008-03-12T23:08:00.000-07:00

BALLERINA GIRL (L. Richie)

(This is dedicated to my daughter, my inspiration, my Reanna.)

Ballerina girl, you are so lovely.
With you standing there, I'm so aware
Of how much I care for you.
You are more than now,
You are for always.
I can see in you
My dreams come true
Don't you ever go away...

With love,
Mom

2007-08-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

PREHISTORIC PAYBACK

Today is Lorenzo's birthday. His 38th, to be exact. But as far as I'm concerned, it's payback time.

I happen to be a little older than my husband. Nothing major, just a matter of fourteen and a half months. Since I celebrated my 39th BIRTHDAY, however, last March, someone (and I won't mention names) has been teasing me about my age and the whole "pushing 40" thing.

Of course it wasn't long before my kids jumped on the bandwagon, making jokes about Mommy walking with cavemen and graduating from Prehistoric University. Ask them how old their Dad is, however, and the answer's always the same. Twenty-seven.

Yep. Daddy's got 'em trained well. Cheeky little things.

For the past few months, Mommy just grinned and bore it. After all, there was no going around it: He was 37, she was 39.

Until today, when someone else's birthday comes one notch closer to the four-zero mark. And to commemorate this happiest of occasions, Mommy found the perfect CAKE online. An exquisitely executed chocolate prehistoric landscape dotted with a volcano, a T-Rex and a triceratops, all deliciously blended together with vanilla custard filling and butter cream icing.

Happy Birthday, Babe. Consider it even.

Love, R.

2007-07-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

(Prada Mama's NOTE: Before everything else, I would like to greet my husband, Lorenzo, "Happy Anniversary" , and to thank him for seven years of wedded bliss. I would also like to thank the Lord for arranging our meeting exactly ten years ago. Little did we know back then that we would still be together, ten years hence.

Happy anniversary, Babe. Here's to the next decade...and the next...and the next...

Oh well, might as well go for broke: Here's to forever! Even though the Bible says there are no marriages in heaven, at least we'll still be together! I love you! R.)
A IS FOR al'-pha-bet.

This is one of my favorite photos of my daughter, Reanna.

I call it "Helping Hands", and although it is not my picture, per se, I am using it as my main photo on my FRIENDSTER profile. After all, that is my hand you see, attached to the Rolex on the left.

I have to admit I am a relative late-bloomer as far as Friendster is concerned. But now that I've jumped on the bandwagon, I am discovering the joys of revisiting old friends and making new ones, many of whom are my fellow bloggers themselves: ATE SIENNA, CHRISTINE, RUTH and JUSTICE to name a few. And if you think my Friendster picture is unconventional, you should see MEEYAGIRL's!

But I digress from the point of this post, which is to officially introduce my Friendster BLOG, "al'pha-bet".

Now, this blog differs from my other blogs because it has short posts. Period. In fact, the following post, written today, is probably the longest of the lot, but that's because I wanted this introduction to be extra-special.

And so, without further ado, I now present the latest entry in "AL'-PHA-BET", the ABC's of Prada Mama's life:

A is for ANNIVERSARY

Today is my seventh wedding anniversary.

Today also happens to be Harry Potter's birthday. And today is the second wedding anniversary I have spent with my nose buried in a book with that familiar diamond Harlequin pattern.

Exactly two years ago, I was celebrating my fifth anniversary at the Crowne Plaza in Milpitas, learning about Horcruxes while my family frolicked in the pool. Later in the day, I would be in the car with my sleeping baby, reading under the sun's fading light while the boys (my husband and sons) played in the beach at Santa Cruz. I would've even brought the tome along as we rode Thomas the Tank Engine at Roaring Camp Railroad, but alas, it was too big and unwieldy.

Yup, July 31 is special for me and The Boy Who Lived, who should have turned 17 a few hours ago at the stroke of midnight, which means he can now do magic without a Trace.

And since we're on the subject, may I also mention that today also happens to be Neville Longbottom's birthday. Yes, this Muggle was paying attention.
By now it should be obvious that this Muggle is eagerly devouring the last book in the Harry Potter series, wondering how much Neville Longbottom and their shared birthday plays into the most anticipated conclusion of all time. And yes, I think Snape is loyal.

So allow me to now take my leave, with a quick French lesson from one on my favorite characters, Fleur Delacour:

A is for adieu,
A is for anniversaire, and
A is for 'Arry.

2007-06-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

SUMMER PEACH

My daughter, Reanna, makes a luscious summer peach.

Climb two branches up the family tree to my older son, Lance, and you'll find a summer squash. At least HE did, yesterday, when he fell off his horse at SUMMER CAMP.

But I'm getting ahead of my story here. First, let me tell you about summer in the Sereno household, which began with...

Troy's Kindergarten Graduation

...

...

I find it hard to believe I'm now writing about my younger son's graduation from kindergarten. Wasn't it just yesterday when I wrote about Lance's HULA NUMBER during his kindergarten graduation? And now he's busy flying off horses somewhere in Yosemite National Park. But again, I digress.

Troy has always been my baby. His whole class had been practicing hard for their graduation program, and I was curious to see their grand finale. Needless to say, being the Mom that I was, I started crying during their very first number, "What a Wonderful World", which the class sang and signed. By the time they got to the Power Point presentation of the kids' pictures with my favorite Christian music in the background, the floodgates were opened and there was no stopping the torrent of tears. But I knew I wasn't the only emotional parent in the audience. I couldn't help it, of course. I was so proud of my baby.

Oh, and I must say his Barong Tagalog stole the show!

Shortly after graduation, we received the boys' report cards in the mail. Both of them did so well, they received a prize for their stellar performance.

That marked the official end of the school year. I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Summer was here! For months I'd been looking forward to those long, lazy, langorous days. Ahh...sweet indolence.

NOT!

Indeed, since summer began, I've been accosted with requests of walks to the park, swimming, bike riding and trips to covered bridges. My beautiful babies, all fair and beatific looking last winter, have put on the season's colors!

From this...

...to this!

Like my husband always says: "Just add water..."

Even as I type this, my Lance is continuing to brown under the broad expanse of Yosemite's skies. He is now 7, the youngest age that can go to Adventurer's Camp.

Now, Lorenzo and I would have probably balked at sending him away from us for the first time, but since we had just gone to Camp Wawona for FAMILY CAMP last Easter, we felt comfortable that he would be in good hands.

Indeed, the atmosphere at Camp Wawona is so wholesome. The camp is run by the Central California Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, and it has been around since even before Yosemite was declared a National Park. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there last Spring. The cabins were comfortable, the food was awesomely good, and the scenery was matchless.

Now Lance gets another turn to experience Yosemite's many pleasures and treasures. I miss my son. We dropped him off at Camp Wawona last Sunday and the house hasn't been the same since. I marvel at how much he's grown. My former preemie, who came into this world six weeks early at 5 lbs. 3 oz., is now a big boy with so much independence in him. He was totally ready for this summer camp experience.

In fine camp tradition, I baked him his favorite Zucchini Nut Bread and sent it to him through the Post Office. Lance first discovered Zucchini Nut Bread at Starbuck's, where we used to go as a family, Lorenzo and I foregoing our usual Caramel Macchiatos for the more wholesome Strawberries and Cream. I knew it would be the perfect thing to send, standing up to more Postal Service abuse than the traditional cookies or fudge. As an added bonus, I also sent him a sheet of the new STAR WARS stamps for him to start a new stamp collection with. And finally, attached to the hand-written card Troy and I made for him was a couple of postcard stamps, in case he wanted to write us back.

I guess the package got to my son just at the right time, after dinner and just before he was taken to the hospital for X-rays. It seems that my son fell off when his horse suddenly bolted at the end of their horseback-riding session. Lorenzo spoke with him yesterday, and he seemed okay, but today he had some bit of bruising and tenderness in his left elbow and hip so the medical staff thought it best to have him checked.

I spoke to Lance before they left, and he told me he would share his Zucchini Nut Bread with his cabinmates and Matt, their couselor. He also told me there were two Daves and two Austins in his cabin, which he found quite amusing. I forgot to ask him if he kept the bunk right by the bathroom, which we chose for him when he went to Line Call on his first day, just before dinner. It was hard for us to leave him then, and his Daddy and I found so many excuses to linger at the cafeteria while they were eating. I guess we were both reluctant to let our son go so far away from us for such a long time.

And now the week is almost over. Lance asked us to pick him up as early as possible. He said he was having a lot of fun, but he also didn't like being away from us too much. It warmed my heart to hear this. He also requested to speak with his brother and sister, who were with me in...

Vacation Bible School

This year, our church did "AVALANCHE RANCH", which promised to be "a wild ride through God's Word". From Monday to Friday this week, our Fellowship Hall was brightened by the sound of children singing songs, participating in Bible stories, and making clever crafts. It's a great way to bring children closer to the Lord.

I was also happy that Vacation Bible School happened just when Lance went to summer camp, because it made his absence a bit more bearable for his brother and sister. Troy, in particular, has suffered through the separation, coming to me in tears on a couple of occasions, saying "I miss Lancey...". He consoled himself by lying on his Kuya's bed. It was enough to break any mother's heart.

But everyday this week, my children's spirits would brighten in anticipation of VBS. Come early evening, loneliness would be temporarily forgotten as they joined other children singing in front, praying, memorizing Bible verses, ignoring dinner and wolfing down dessert. Troy even made me proud by refusing help in writing down Bible verses, carefully doing it himself.

Troy and Reanna had such a wonderful time at VBS, I'm almost sorry it's come to an end. But this just brings us one day closer to seeing Lance again, so I guess I don't mind. Besides, with the number of churches around us, I'm sure there will be other Vacation Bible Schools my kids can attend this summer.

The best part of it all? Their Kuya Lance will be with them next time around!

We miss you, Lance! We're so happy you're coming back soon.

Love, Mom

2007-05-25T23:43:00.000-07:00

WHY I LOVE HAVING A DAUGHTER, #11*

pink Chinese slippers, child size: $0.99

matching blue Chinese slippers, adult size: $0.99

gas to and from the dollar store: about $0.99

another Mother-Daughter moment: priceless!

(* Click HERE for Reasons #1-10, a.k.a. "THANK GOD FOR LITTLE GIRLS")

2007-03-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

CLOUD THIRTY-NINE

These happy grins are the best birthday present any Mom could ever get.

This year, my birthday came right in the middle of Spring Break. And, if you ask any of my kids what they did for Spring Break, chances are you'll get just one word out of them: picnic. Indeed, that's all we seemed to do for two weeks: 1) Find a park, 2) Eat, and 3) Play.

And, with the advent of today's mega-one-stop-shop supermarkets, picnics couldn't be easier to plan. In fact, I came out with four easy steps for a foolproof picnic HERE, just based on our recent Spring Break jaunts.

For my birthday, however, we mixed things up a bit. The kids and I were in the mood for something hot this time, so we drove through Taco Bell for a 10-pack of bean burritos prepared just the way we want it: with green salsa and onions. YUM!

Now, this would normally be an issue right in the dead of winter, with five gas-making factories in our family, but since we were headed for the park, with its wide-open spaces, I figured we were in safe territory.

So we went to the park, stopping at home first to leave a note for Dad. I knew Lorenzo would try to take off early from work so he could join us for my birthday. Sure enough, I was thrilled to see my husband's familiar blue sportscar pull up just as the kids made a beeline for the playset.

Now my birthday was complete!

When the sun finally set, we headed home to light the candles on my gourmet cheesecake brownie. Don't let the size fool you. That thing was so rich, a tiny wedge was enough to satisfy my cravings for both brownies and cheesecake!

And then we retired for the night. The very first night I was 39. Thirty-nine.

Sigh!

I guess I can now resign myself to the fact that I'm officially pushing 40. But that's okay.

Running after them keeps me young!

2007-02-14T23:57:00.000-08:00

SWEETS FROM MY SWEETS

This year, Valentine's came one day early for me.

I was home, fighting the flu. My temperature reached 105 the day before. I also had pink eye on both of my eyes, earache on both of my ears, and a very sore throat which would later be diagnosed as tonsillitis.

Yes, I clearly needed some emergency lovin', and my family was only too happy to step in.

Lance and Daddy were the ringleaders, by virtue of being the only ones who were well. Reanna, who kicked off our big family flu love-in, was still checking in at the 100s, and Troy, who was home from school for almost a week, still ran 104 the day before. Unbeknownst to us sick folk, the two conspirators had already cased nearby supermarkets the day before for chocolate-covered strawberries, Mommy's favorite Valentine treat. Since none were being offered this year, they found the next best thing:

Just to let you know, I didn't mind sharing top-billing, as long as it was clear those strawberries on top were mine.

I guess I'd better explain. See, now that Reanna's big enough to understand, the boys decided that Valentines would be all about the girls in our family, not just Mommy. So aside from us sharing the cake, both of us got balloons too. Mine had a personal message from Daddy, while Reanna's displayed her new title, "Valentine Princess". I also got a handmade Valentine, especially designed by all of my boys, which was my most treasured present of all.

Finally, the tea was ready. We sang "Happy Valentine's Day" and blew the candles. Yes, candles. By now, you should know that no cake would ever be complete without candles in our home.

And then we attacked that picture-perfect cake. Yum.

We spent the rest of the evening making homemade Valentines to be given to Lance and Troy's classmates, but the biggest and best Valentines got to stay home with me.

Indeed, what could be sweeter?

2006-12-25T23:52:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE SERENO FAMILY

2006-12-13T00:29:00.000-08:00

BACK IN THE TRAIN GANG
The Christmas Train, Sierra Railroad Dinner Train
December 12, 2006

Remember THIS?

These pictures were taken on the Sierra Railroad dinner train two years ago. Well, now, we're baack... with a slightly older cast this time around!

Troy's kindergarten class went on the SIERRA RAILROAD Christmas train for a field trip, so of course the rest of us just had to tag along. Well, most of us, anyway. Poor Lance couldn't join us because of school.

There was a strange feeling of deja vu as we waited to board that train. Two years ago, we capped our Thanksgiving dinner train trip by watching the newly-released movie, "The Polar Express". This time around, we were living it. The Christmas train's theme is...you guessed it: "The Polar Express"!

All the children were dressed in pajamas, their favorite stuffed toys in tow...

They also had elves, a conductor, and pajama-clad attendants serving cookies and hot chocolate.

It was really good hot chocolate too, rich and creamy with marshmallows floating on top. Kids and kids-at-heart savored the sugar rush as they stared at the passing scenery. We sang Christmas carols, the parents getting a glimpse of the upcoming Christmas program, as their kids proudly demonstrated their sign language skills, singing and signing "Silent Night". The hobo from the movie came and sang to each table, and the kids got to sit on the floor in the train's aisle as an elf read them a Christmas story.

But nothing compared to the grand finale of the trip: a visit from the man in red!

It was such a joy to see the looks of wonder cross my children's faces.

The train ride ended shortly after that. As we stepped back down on the tracks, we saw Santa one last time. He gave Troy a hug. The smile on my son's face was just priceless.

And now, all my kids are tucked warmly in their beds, with visions of snickerdoodles most likely dancing in their heads. I'm ready to retire myself, still hung over with the magic and wonder of it all. Who knows? Maybe I'll wake up to the sound of a steam engine waiting to pick me up in the middle of the night.

Now that's a pajama party I wouldn't want to miss!

2006-11-21T00:49:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2006-10-08T23:54:00.000-07:00

WEEKEND WARRIORS 2006
Ghost Mountain Ranch
Pollock Pines, CA

2006-08-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

BABY SISTER

From baby sister...

To radiant bride.

What a difference a year makes!

Our Best Wishes to Lorenzo's baby sister, Madel.

2006-08-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS, Part 2

This was how Lance looked during Crazy Hair Day at school.

Yes, Back to School Night is done, the days are getting colder, Labor Day is fast approaching, and Summer 2006 is coming to an end. So before all the details are blown from "the jasmine in my mind", let me give you a rundown of one of the most enjoyable summers my family has ever had.

1. Fourth of July

Actually, that should've read Second of July, because that's when the BIG celebration took place. Our family was invited to the home of some Adventist friends, where the kids went swimming and everybody feasted on veggie burgers, chips and potato salad. After sundown, we settled in to watch the awesome fireworks display. The kids got to light their own sparklers too!

We also received good news that day, because that was when we found out we were going to...

2. Camp Meeting

It was such a wonderful blessing for our family to go to Camp Meeting. I was apprehensive at first, since I am admittedly the least outdoorsy person you could ever imagine, and the thought of roughing it in a tent isn't exactly my idea of fun. But the Lord had other plans for us, and when we got to the Adventist Campgrounds in Soquel, CA, we found out we had a cabin!

It was almost like the Lord was saying, "Just get yourselves there and I'll take care of you." God is so good.

The Campgrounds were also just a short drive away from Capitola Beach, where the kids got to play in the surf during down time.

We were there for over ten days, and it was such a renewing experience. For more on our Camp Meeting trip, read my article in 87 GENTLE STREET.

It was also during Camp Meeting when we celebrated...

3. Troy's Fifth Birthday

Yes, Troy's fifth birthday landed right smack in the middle of Camp Meeting! They sang "Happy Birthday" for him in the Kindergarten tent, and we threw a small party for him in front of our cabin. Troy got the Hulk cake he requested, which we supplemented with yogurt with sprinkles instead of ice cream (no freezers in camp!). After our sixteen pint-sized guests washed it down with pink lemonade and fruit punch, we dispatched them to their afternoon programs, thankful that we didn't have to deal with the early afternoon sugar rush!

What a wonderful blessing it was for Troy to celebrate his birthday during our very first Camp Meeting. It will be a memory for our kids to treasure for the rest of their days.

We also got to meet so many new friends in Camp Meeting, and some of them invited us to...

4. Vacation Bible School 2

Since the children really enjoyed VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL at the beginning of the summer, we decided to send them to another VBS, this time at the Parkwood Seventh-Day Adventist church, in north Modesto.

Unlike the "FIESTA" theme in our church, Parkwood did "The Road to Bethlehem" this year. The central theme was Jesus' birth, and the children were divided into the twelve tribes of Israel. Each tribe got to register in the "census", and then they got to explore the "Market Place", where they dyed their own pouches, made their own perfume, fashioned lamp holders out of clay, decorated their own mosaic boxes, made their own coins and assembled their own flutes. They also did Roman Legionnaire drills, played games and sang songs, and in the middle of the week, they got to witness the coming of Baby Jesus!

Each day, while the kids worked up an appetite, the smell of baking bread wafted through the premises. And when it was done, it was divided among the twelve tribes, who all partook of it after saying a prayer.

It was so touching to see my children learn more about Jesus each day. With both Vacation Bible schools beginning and ending the holiday season, and Camp Meeting right in between, this whole summer seemed to be one big lesson on how to get to know God better, not just for our kids, but for Lorenzo and me as well.

And the learning continues, now that the kids are back in SCHOOL. And I, for one, firmly believe that when there is learning...

...the blessings are sure to follow!

2006-08-13T23:59:00.000-07:00

BAKING FOR DADDY

Take a look at Mommy's little helper, with flour on her fingers and nose.

That's how my all of kids looked today, as they baked a home-made birthday cake for Daddy while he was sleeping. And they did it all by themselves, with very little help from Mommy!

Troy beat the eggs and was in charge of the dry ingredients, Lance measured all the other liquid ingredients, and both boys took turns with the electric mixer. All Mommy did was the boring grown-up stuff, like turning on the oven and lining and greasing the cake pans.

Yes, you read it right: cake pans. It was to be a two-layer cake, no less. Leave it to my kids to think big. This was, after all, DADDY's cake we're talking about...

...a two-layer chocolate cake with chocolate filling and vanilla frosting!

Oh, I know this picture doesn't exactly scream Escoffier, but Lance, Troy and Reanna took turns sprinkling that cake with chocolate sprinkles and they stuck in those candles themselves, which makes it the best darn birthday cake ever made in my book!

And while the cake layers were baking merrily in the oven, Mommy busied herself by making a version of pancit palabok which did not go against their Adventist beliefs. This meant forsaking the pork and shrimps, but she managed to make a healthier alternative using turkey and tofu.

And when it was all done, everything was served up to Daddy with a flourish. By this time, of course, all the kids cared about was dessert!

Daddy didn't disappoint them. He gamely lit the candles and posed for pictures. And then he made his birthday wish and blew out his candles. It was pretty much open season after that, with Reanna poking at the frosting while Troy picked out the sprinkles, one by one.

We spent the rest of the day quietly at home, watching movies and eating more cake and pancit. Daddy had to work later that evening.

Just like he had to work after FATHER'S DAY, and on that day of our wedding anniversary less than two weeks back, when he slipped and bloodied his forehead, yet continued to soldier on after leaving the doctor's office...

...which makes him the best darn Dad, husband and provider in my book.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

We love you so much.

MY ANNIVERSARY PRESE

2006-07-31T17:13:00.000-07:00

MY ANNIVERSARY PRESENT

Today is our sixth wedding anniversary.

I got my anniversary present a few days early this year, and I'm thrilled to pieces over it. My husband gave it to me during our recent CAMP MEETING in Soquel, CA. I had gone with the kids and he joined us whenever he could, but we truly missed each other so much that I feel I have our separation to thank for my gift's premature presentation.

Soquel, CA, is not far from Felton, where ROARING CAMP RAILROADS is located. And it was there at Roaring Camp where my husband, Lorenzo, gave me the sweetest anniversary gift I have ever gotten in all our years together.

It all happened last year. We had planned a whole weekend around our wedding anniversary, which also coincided with "Day Out With Thomas", Thomas The Tank Engine's appearance in Felton. We kicked off the celebration by going to the beach in Santa Cruz. Later, we checked into the Crowne Plaza, just a stone's throw away from my mother-in-law's house in Milpitas. I guess our mood was infectious, because we ended up getting an upgrade to a corner suite upon checking in.

We were in no rush to get out of there since I had gotten tickets to Thomas' last trip, which didn't leave until 4 PM. So the next day, we checked out late so the kids could enjoy the hotel's amenities before heading out to Roaring Camp. Troy had just learned how to swim, and he got to show off his new pool prowess to the ladies at the hotel's deck.

But he was bugging us about seeing Thomas the whole day, and it was really putting a damper on our anniversary spirit. Finally, we couldn't take any more of the whining, so we headed out to "Day Out With Thomas".

The kids were beside themselves with excitement. The last time we had seen Thomas was two years before, at The CALIFORNIA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM in Sacramento, but Lance and Troy were still too young to appreciate it back then. After we rode Thomas, we went to the shop, where the boys took so long to choose what they wanted that we missed the opportunity to take pictures with Thomas himself. I was hugely disappointed at this, since I am a sucker for souvenir photos, but Thomas had already taken his last trip and was gone for the day.

Dejectedly, we headed back to the parking area. Daddy took us back to the beach at Santa Cruz after, which brightened the kids' spirits somewhat. And then we ate our anniversary dinner at one of our old haunts, Cats at Los Gatos, a historical old tavern and brothel which had been converted into a restaurant.

..

We headed back to Modesto that night, the kids happily tuckered out in the back seat. But that wasn't the end of the story. The next day was the day of our anniversary itself, and Lorenzo, my sweet husband, insisted on taking the whole family back to Roaring Camp Railroads again, just to I could have my souvenir family picture taken with Thomas the Tank Engine. The kids got to ride Thomas one more time, and they even got to meet Sir Topham Hatt this time around!

By then, my husband had already been driving the whole weekend with very little sleep. And since our return visit was just a day trip, I knew it wasn't an easy drive to take. But he soldiered on without complaint, just so I could have this:

And that makes it the sweetest anniversary present I had ever gotten.

(PLUGGING: Read about out Camp Meeting experience in 87 GENTLE STREET.)

2006-07-04T01:46:00.000-07:00

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS, Part 1

1. Troy's Birthday

...

This shot of my little Prince Charming was taken the day before Troy's Preschool graduation.

Call it a pre-birthday picture if you will, since Troy doesn't officially turn five until July 17, but since school would be long done by then, his teacher decided to celebrate early. So Mommy got to hand out chocolate cupcakes, vanilla ice cream amd handmade loot bags to a bunch of preschoolers who most likely didn't need the extra sugar, but after I read their equally sweet handwritten birthday banner for Troy, I thought they were highly deserving.

2. Troy's Preschool Graduation

It's so hard to believe I was just writing about my son's first day at PRESCHOOL And now, he was about to exit those doors for the last time, a whole year wiser.

Now, I know that graduations are supposed to be happy events, but I have always felt a certain sadness at the end of each ceremony. After all, these children have all spent close to a year in each other's company. And now they were going their separate ways. There was something about it that just felt so abrupt to me.

This is probably why I have always made an effort to organize an after graduation event for my children. For the past three years, I have invited my sons' classmates and their families to celebrate the beginning of summer by throwing a pot luck swimming/karaoke party.

This year was no exception, and it was by far the most successful yet.

3. Vacation Bible School

My children didn't stay out of school long. In fact, the very next Monday following graduation, my kids bagan attending Vacation Bible School. This is an annual week-long event thrown by our church, where children could learn more about Jesus and the bible and meet new friends besides.

This year's theme was "Fiesta". There was a bible station, a craft station, and a video station. My children enjoyed the singing and Lorenzo and I enjoyed watching our sons lead the opening and closing prayers. None of us minded the nightly dinners either, which were of course, in line with the fiesta theme, Mexican. YUM!

So there you have it, a rundown of how our summer's been so far. The season's just begun, so there's lots more to look forward to. And with these bright smiles and shining faces greeting me everyday, you can be sure I'll be getting my daily dose of sunshine...

... with no sunblock required!

2006-06-18T23:13:00.000-07:00

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

(Troy, Spot the Pit Bull and his baby, Bambi)

"But isn't she divorced...?"

My mind registered this question at lunch yesterday, when a friend of mine mentioned that she would be making such-and-such for Father's Day. I remember thinking to myself, "Now why would she be preparing a Father's Day meal for her ex-husband? I thought she hated his guts!"

And then it dawned upon me. She wasn't talking about her ex. She was talking about her REAL father.

To most people, this would seem painfully obvious. But I had lost my own father seven years ago so to me, Father's Day was all about my husband, LORENZO.

When I realized my mistake, a quiet emptiness settled into my heart. An emptiness tinged with envy, I'll admit. This particular friend was older than me, in fact, she already had two grown daughters in their twenties. Yet she still had her father with her. Life can be so unfair at times.

Still, it could be worse. At least I had a wonderful husband to celebrate with today, and celebrate we did, albeit simply. Lorenzo had work scheduled later tonight, so our usual out-of-town jaunt was out of the question. Instead, we spent the morning lying in each other's arms, talking and snuggling and talking some more. Later, we watched DVDs while Lance and Troy swam with their friends in the back yard. And when Daddy dozed off for his afternoon nap, Mommy got busy cooking.

In honor of my late FATHER, I made ropa vieja for dinner. Ropa Vieja, which literally translates to "old clothes", is a Cuban dish of shredded beef cooked in onions, peppers and tomatoes. It was one of the last meals I shared with my Dad at Cafe Havana in Malate. (Actually, it was his order, but as his eldest daughter and dinner date, I had the privilege of mooching shamelessly off his plate!)

Ropa Vieja is best prepared with fresh ingredients, but I was able to find a simpler recipe online which called for picante sauce. The best part of it is that I could devote the time I would otherwise spend chopping the onions, peppers and tomatoes into actually shredding the beef, which is the most time-consuming step of all. Unfortunately, I did not have plantains handy, but we did have Spanish rice, so Lorenzo's meal was still semi-authentic.

I am now writing this late in the day, so before it is over, I would like to greet my wonderful husband, Lorenzo, and thank him for being the same kind of father my Daddy was to me: always kind, always loving, always smiling, with a never-ending supply of hugs and kisses. No wonder my kids are so in love with him!

Happy Father's Day, Babe! I am so happy that our children, Lance, Troy, and Reanna, all have the privilege of calling you Daddy. And I am all the more blessed for it.

We love you soooo much, R.

2006-06-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

WILD BOYS

I stumbled upon this picture of my little boys, taken at the SACRAMENTO ZOO a few years back.

No, that's not a lighted poster they're standing beside. It's a real live, real HUGE tiger, posing for our camera, at the other side of the glass.

He looks so docile and tame that I am reminded of one of God's promises:

"The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion will feed together;
and a little child will lead them."
Isaiah 11:6

Now isn't that just beautiful?

2006-06-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

HIS STORY

Ladies and gents, I am proud to share with you Lorenzo Troy Sereno's preschool project, his very first story:

"Once upon a time there was a pyramid in the sand in Texas. Then people came to see what's inside. But the alarm turned on in the morning. Then they were in trouble, and they had to go home. Then they built a pyramid of their own, by themselves with their play blocks."

Not bad for a 4-year-old, don't you think?

I guess it pays to seal in those creative juices really early!

2006-05-17T00:13:00.000-07:00

MY LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE

I would like to thank everyone who dropped by to greet me for Mother's Day.

I would specially like to thank those of you who noticed my weight loss. Bless you guys... (...and your 20/20 vision!)

I'm sorry it took me this long to acknowledge. Mother's Day weekend was very hectic for us, since it was also the weekend of Reanna's second birthday. Here she is, looking like the perfect senorita in her birthday dress!

I had to snap that picture really quick, because it wasn't long before she was out of that dress. I don't blame her, considering how hot it was that weekend!

And I won't even bore you with the lengths it took to find anything Barney! Reanna adores Barney, so I wanted to surprise her with a Barney birthday cake. You would think they'd still have Barney cake decorator kits around, considering how popular he is with the preschool set, but no such luck. This was the best my suking bakery could come up with, which still wasn't too bad, I think.

I also lucked out with the singing Baby Bop, finding her after looking for what seemed like hours. But the delighted smile (and the accompanying squeal) was well worth the effort.

Reanna's kuyas lucked out too, snagging presents of their own. Lorenzo and I have always given the other siblings "un-birthday" presents, so nobody gets left out!

Just looking at my two big boys, Lance and Troy, beaming and tanned after their afternoon swim, brings me back to simpler times when they, too, thought Barney was the coolest thing in the universe. Even my oldest son, Max, loved Barney, and he's now 13.

It is always bittersweet for a mother to see her children growing up right in front of her eyes. Pretty soon, Barney and Blue's Clues will give way to Dora and Diego. Even now, Troy (my former baby) can't wait for Reanna to get big enough to fit into a "Stephanie" costume so she can match his "Sportacus". (That's "Lazy Town" lingo, for those of you who don't know!)

So for now, I have resolved to hug my daughter just a little bit tighter and hold her just a little bit longer...before the Barbies and Disney Princesses take my place on her bed!

This is why I just don't get so-called "children's" shows like the irreverent-bordering-on-rude SpongeBob and the overly-made-up Bratz, which somehow compromise the very innocence we wish to preserve in our kids. We don't need to hasten the growing up process. Childhood is fleeting enough as it is. (sigh!)

Happy Birthday, Reanna!

Promise Mommy you won't grow up too fast, okay?

2006-05-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER

(Soxx and daughter Pharaoh)

To all mothers...

...and to all daughters
(who will themselves become mothers in time)...

Happy Mother's Day!

2006-04-12T02:03:00.000-07:00

OF BAGS AND BIRTHDAYS

Don't you just love this birthday cake my family surprised me with?

Once again, the BIRTHDAY SEASON is upon us. It officially began last month, when my husband's family threw a party for the SERENO March/April celebrants. Actually, it was my mother-in-law's birthday, but they were nice enough to include everyone else, hence the two cakes in this picture.

I couldn't resist taking a shot of my little girl, hovering over our Winnie the Pooh cake in her kikay dress. Reanna loves dressing up. This early on, she's already exhibiting an unmistakeable penchant for shoes, the more the merrier! She also loves walking around with Mommy's purses, instinctively going for the more expensive ones, like the Prada limited edition you see here.

Like all warm-blooded females, I like shoes. Unfortunately, my feet have this irritating habit of changing sizes on me every few babies or so, and now my closet's upper shelf is devoted to boxes of Guccis, Pradas and Bruno Maglis, not to mention one lonely pair of Rodolphe Menudier stilettos, hermetically sealed in individual shoe bags, all of them two sizes too small. Believe me, opening my closet is an exercise in frustration. Nope, shoes simply don't do it for me anymore.

But purses? Now that's a different story. On the other side of my closet is a more welcome sight: my handbag collection, housed in individual cloth bags, neatly arranged in a row. Here lie my Pradas, starting with the little black spazzolatto number I bought in Leeser at P.C. Hooftstraat in Amsterdam, the grandmere of them all.

Now I happen to be very particular in choosing my purses. I like them structured, and I don't mind paying for the engineering either. For this reason, I never got any of Miuccia's nylon creatons. I did, however, stock up on her leather goods, with two more spazzolatto numbers, in black and chocolate, and two in nappa (cream and navy), rubbing seams with my baby blue bamboo Gucci and my trusty Louis Vuitton bucket. All of these are close to a decade in age, but believe me, these babies are well-preserved.

When Lorenzo and I moved to the States to raise our family, I was introduced to the sturdy practicality of American leather goods. In 2001, Lorenzo bought me a black Dooney & Bourke cabrioleather pyramid bag with a matching wallet, checkbook and make-up case for my birthday/ Mother's Day/ our anniversary. I ended up losing the make-up bag during a Chuck E. Cheese junket, but the rest of the set is still in use and I tell you, the bag alone is so sturdy, my husband swears you can use it as a pail to carry water. "Pwedeng ipang-igib 'yan!" he jokes.

This bag has been with me for over five years now, and it's served me well, day after day. Too well, in fact, that I never really had reason to use any of the other bags in my collection.

Until now.

First things first. I can't tell you the story of my latest baby without at least giving a brief history of her birth.

Picture this. Monday, March 27. The day before my 38th birthday. After giving Reanna her evening bath, I come down to discover an empty house. For some unknown reason, Lorenzo and my two boys had flown the coop. The reason for their mysterious disappearance would later surface, looking exactly like this:

Yes, the THREE LORENZOs surprised me with mini-roses, chocolates, presents and an adorable Hello Kitty birthday cake. Oh, and let's not forget the balloons: Lance chose the pink one, Troy chose the lavender, and Lorenzo chose the huge mylar one which happens to be so me: a giant handbag with the words "Stylin' Mom", proving without a shadow of doubt that the best husbands do know the way to their women's hearts.

...

That balloon woke up something primal within me. My inner primadonna, long kept dormant, was silently unleashed, instinctively going on the prowl again, as if on autopilot. And now, with my husband's blessings, my baby got a new bag. (Well...to hold, anyway!)

Presenting my new church bag: a Coach signature demi. This one actually sports a matching signature trifold wallet inside that costs even more than the purse itself. Go figure!

After a glorious debut, it now sits quietly in a favored part of my closet, getting acquainted with the European side of the family. But she won't have to suffer claustrophobia too long. Next week she is scheduled for another spin, when we go back to church, this time to celebrate my mother's birthday.

Yes, my MOM is flying in from New York for a visit. She has chosen to celebrate April 14, the Big Six-O, with me, for which I feel truly honored. Even as I type this, she is getting ready to board a plane headed for California. I'm so excited. I can't wait to see her.

But for now, as I anticipate her arrival, I would like to send a few last-minute words of thanks, to JAY and JET, for the lovely e-card, to Ms. Dina, for the birthday greeting, to my wonderful KIDS, for my birthday surprise, and to my husband, LORENZO, for making every day brighter with his special brand of thoughtfulness.

Thank you so much. I love you guys!

2006-03-01T11:15:00.000-08:00

CALL HER IRRESPONSIBLE

Yes, YOU, with the green Dodge Neon and the vicious black dog.

Earlier today, we drove to Mervyn's to replace a sheet set that was all the wrong dimensions for our California King bed. Little did we know there would be a harrowing ordeal at the end of our destination.

We parked right in front of the store, and Lorenzo got out of the driver's seat to let Reanna out of her car seat. Lance and Troy had fallen asleep in the rear, so we decided that I would go in with Reanna while he waited in the van with our sleeping boys.

I was retrieving the sheet set when I heard Lorenzo give a surprised yell. "That dog bit me!"

"What dog?", I thought. I didn't remember hearing a bark, or even a growl. And then I saw it. A black dog, obviously agitated, sitting in the passenger side of the dark-green Dodge Neon sedan parked beside us, its windows rolled down by about six inches. My husband was staring at the beast with mixed anger and disbelief. His next words chilled me to the bone.

"That could've been Reanna..."

And I thought my knees, instantly reduced to jelly, couldn't weaken any more. I checked the bite area, relieved that there was no blood. And then I rushed into the store, breathing a prayer of thanks that my husband was carrying my daughter in his other arm. Mervyn's Guest Services quickly called the cops and paramedics, who got there in no time. They also paged the owner of the Dodge Neon, who came out of the store just when the paramedics were examining the bite mark.

She seemed more concerned for her dog that anything else. It wasn't until after one of the paramedics sarcastically pointed out that they were there to treat my husband, and not her dog, that she even remembered to ask if Lorenzo was okay.

"This dog is like my family, she has never done this before." I take that with a grain of salt. The dog was obviously troubled. You can see in these pictures that the dog chomped off a good-sized hole towards the back of Lorenzo's left sleeve. My husband didn't even know there was a dog in the next car, and he was obviously bitten after he had walked past it. This was clearly a case of an unprovoked attack, with no warning whatsoever.

Now, Lorenzo and I happen to own a dog as well, and we sometimes take Spot the Pit Bull with us in our van too, but only when it's cool out so we can leave him, leashed securely to the front arm rest with the windows cracked open by a couple of inches, and he would still be comfortable. This person's car was completely parked in the shade. There was absolutely no reason for her to leave her windows wide open, especially since her dog was roaming around freely inside of it, unleashed. This was just courting trouble, pure and simple.

And then, as if to add insult to injury, she tried to downplay the whole incident. Lorenzo, a former bodybuilder, has firm, taut arm muscles, so the dog's teeth couldn't latch on to anything but his shirt. Lorenzo was fortunate, nay, blessed, that he was able to walk away from the ordeal with just a minor scratch and bruising. Even then, I don't wish to imagine what the outcome could've been had he shifted even an inch to his left.

"Oh, you can hardly see it," the dog's owner stated dismissively.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing! If it was I who had driven earlier today and I who had walked past that open window, I've no doubt my injury would've been a lot worse, given the flabby state of my arms. That dog could've bitten a chunk out of me.

Or worse, my daughter.

"It didn't even break the skin."
"Yes, but it could've been worse. A LOT worse."
"No, it couldn't!"

I could feel my anger boiling over, and I let her have it. How dare she talk that way when her irresponsible behavior could've resulted in my 20-month-old daughter being maimed for life, or even worse? I shudder to think of what could've been, had Lorenzo been carrying Reanna on the arm that was bitten.

Maybe if she was a bit more contrite and willing to admit her fault, we could've chosen not to file a case against her. But she was arrogant and haughty, and totally unapologetic. After we were assured that the dog wouldn't be put to sleep, we decided to press on with charges. Maybe after she's ordered to pay a fine for her infraction, she'll finally realize that she was at fault. As it is, it's hardly a slap in the wrist.

At least as far as I'm concerned!

2006-02-17T14:36:00.000-08:00

ANGELS AMONG US

"One Lord, one faith, one baptism." Ephesians 4:5

Last Saturday, LORENZO and I shared the most meaningful moment we've experienced in all our nine years together. In many ways, it was even more memorable than our wedding ceremony six years ago. For while we got married in the eyes of God back then, (on July 31, 2000), on February 11, 2006, we were both married to God. In a solemn yet joyful ceremony at the Modesto Central Seventh Day Adventist Church, my husband and I were re-baptized together, in front of our three children and our new church family.

Like most Filipinos, Lorenzo and I were "sprinkled" when we were children. But I wasn't baptized by water immersion, as prescribed by the Bible, until I was twelve, shortly after receiving Jesus into my life. Lorenzo, on the other hand, wasn't baptized until after we got married. Since then, we both lost our way, (maybe even a little bit of each other), in the world. But I'm happy to say that we have found each other again in the Lord.

All it took was a simple four-week SEMINAR. And now, we find ourselves falling in love with each other all over again, simply because we've fallen in love with the Lord again. And the blessings haven't stopped pouring since.

Six years ago, Lorenzo took me to be his bride.
Six days ago, we both became the "Bride of Christ".

Praise the Lord indeed!

P.S. Thanks to Tyler and Lavonne Long of Amazing Facts Ministries, and to Pastor James Scarborough, Donna Bearden, Teri Johnson, along with the other Children's Program volunteers at Modesto Central. We appreciate all the prayers and the phone follow-ups, the books and the babysitting, the home visits and the take-home DVDs. Because of you, we never felt like we were "just a name and number". Thanks for showing us you really care.

You truly are "Angels among us".

2006-02-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

MY LITTLE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS

Lance came home today with a note from his first grade teacher:

It read:

"Dear Mrs. Sereno,

Lance passed a level 34 today for me. His report card will only show a P for passing reading. He will continue to see Mrs. B**** for reading.

Thanks,
Mrs. B***"

(Lance, who is one of the youngest kids in Grade 1 owed to his mid-November birthday, goes to a Grade 2 class with a different teacher for Reading.)

I couldn't contain my happiness. A Level 34 in the DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) SCALE is equivalent to mid-third grade! I really appreciated his teacher's taking the time to let me know this. I guess in first grade, the highest mark a student can get is "P" for "pass", even though he has surpassed all expectations and is reading two full grades above his level.

The timing was uncanny. Tomorrow happens to be my son, MAX's thirteenth birthday. Exactly one year ago tomorrow, I received a totally different form of correpondence from Lance's school: a Disciplinary Report with what was literally a SOUR NOTE written on it by his kindergarten teacher.

But Lance lost no time in redeeming himself, even back then, (perhaps spurred on a little bit by some Fatherly ADVICE!). Looking back now, I see that I ended up writing his homeroom teacher a more positive NOTE, just twenty days after the transgression.

And he has been on the road to REDEMPTION since!

Congratulations, Lance! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!

(P.S. While we're on the subject, check out "Redemption" at 87 GENTLE STREET!)

2006-01-04T01:09:00.000-08:00

IN WITH THE NEW

Thanks to RONALLAN, JAYRED, MARE, NIKKI, MEEYAGIRL and abby for dropping by to leave me their personal New Year's greetings. I would like to wish them, and YOU, a happy and healthy 2006 as well.

I'm sure all of us ushered in the new year with great fanfare. My mother-in-law's home witnessed its own share of noisemaking, revelry and rabble-rousing.

Here are a few pictures to prove it.

...

But now, the party's over, and we find ourselves carefully opening those ubiquitous datebook planners from our credit card and insurance companies, taking in their familiar leather scent, and creasing their spines for the very first time. Each year, they lie in wait, like proverbial clean slates, their empty pages just waiting to be filled.

May this be a year of interesting entries for us all.

Happy New Year!

2005-12-28T06:17:00.000-08:00

PLUGGING

My family is back from San Diego, where we joyfully celebrated Christmas with friends and family. We went to LEGOLAND on Christmas day, totally unaware that on the other side of the world, someone else was being a SCROOGE.

One can only surmise what this person got in her stocking. A lump of coal? A run? An order to report for duty? She certainly wasn't feeling festive when she left me a comment at 87 GENTLE STREET.

Bah, humbug!

2005-12-23T17:58:00.000-08:00

FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS...

STOCKINGS are hung
TRAIN's up and running
TREE's all bedecked
SANTA is coming!

FLAN's in the oven
for my neighbor's NOCHE BUENA
So I leave you with a greeting
from the family SERENO

(...okay, okay, so that was stretching it a bit!
I've always said I was more of a "prose" than a "poetry" kind of person.
Look no further than the this holiday offering for proof.)

May the wonder and joy of the season be with you and yours for always!

2005-12-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

LOOK WHO'S TALKING

This is my favorite picture of my two boys.

It was taken when Troy was three and Lance was four. Troy had just raided the orphaned sock drawer. If you're wondering why his socks are uneven, it's because one of them happens to be a glove.

I love Lance's smile in this picture too. I miss my son's open smile. He stopped showing his teeth when he lost two of his lower front ones. They've since grown back, but the toothy smile is gone. Part of growing pains, I guess, (not his but mine).

Now, my older son is six and in first grade. For the past two weeks he has been joining the Second Grade Reading Class. He was reading far too advanced compared to the rest of his classmates that his teacher felt he wasn't being challenged enough.

"Mom," he told me recently, "I know when to go back to my first grade class now. It's when the big hand is on eleven," and he gave me a proud smile.

I love recording these little snippets of conversation with my children. One can almost hear them growing up just by listening to the changes in content and speech pattern. Troy, who's now four, still talks in an endearingly bulol way sometimes, but don't let the baby talk fool you.

A few days after his Kuya Lance's Star Wars birthday party, we were driving when I heard a little voice from the back seat. "Mom", Troy said, "for my next birthday, I want a cake with Anakin and Darth Vader on it too".

"You want a cake with Anakin and Darth Vader in it?" I distractedly asked.

"No, ON it", was the reproving reply.

I never thought I'd see the day when my four-year-old would be correcting my grammar for a change!

Reanna is now a year and a half, and she, too, is discovering the delights of spoken discourse. She loves to tease me by calling me "Daddy". When I correct her by pointing to myself, saying "No, Reanna, Mom-my," she points to herself in turn and says "mom-my", with a mischievous smile. She's quick enough to call me "Mom", however, when she needs something, this time referring to herself as "Na-na". I guess Ree-YA-na is still too much of a mouthful for an eighteen-month-old's palate to form.

When Lance was Reanna's age, he used to call all the animals he saw, "doggies". Well, Reanna is no different, except she thinks all furry creatures on this earth are "kitties".

I now leave you with a memorable conversation my baby girl had with her Daddy. There they were, in the backyard, playing with Spot the Pit Bull...

Reanna: Heeeere tittie (Here kitty)...
Lorenzo: No, Reanna, "doggie".
Reanna: Heeeere tittieee...
Lorenzo: No, Reanna, Spotty is a doggie. Do-ggy.
Reanna: Heeeere tittie-doddieee... (Here kitty-doggy...)

Eighteen months and a mind of her own already.

I like that.

2005-12-07T00:37:00.000-08:00

TROLL ALERT

I am starting a new feature in this blog, to alert others of trolls in our midst.

I am not aware of any known Troll Databases out there. Then again, I haven't really run any searches for them. Nevertheless, I am considering starting a entirely new site featuring IP addresses of known trolls, but only if I can get enough entries to feature in it.

If you have been a victim of trolling, and have been able to isolate these people's IP addresses, please e-mail me at pradamama@peoplepc.com. Please include verification, such as copies of the rude comments with identifying IP information from Haloscan, etc.. All correspondence will be kept confidential.

Someone anonymously left me a nasty comment last week. I chose to delete it, but this time, I won't be latting the troll off that easily. I am now sharing this person's personal details with you:

Domain Name: shawcable.net
IP Address: 68.145.108.173
ISP: Shaw Communications
Country: Canada
State/Region: Alberta
City: Calgary
Operating System: Microsoft WinXP
Browser: Internet Explorer 6.0

I have since banned this person from commenting on any of my sites.

I encourage you guys to ban this person's IP address, 68.145.108.173, as well.

Trolls are a scourge among us. These people should be taught a lesson: Unless they mind their manners, they cannot roam freely among our ranks. We should all work together to make them the pariahs they ought to be.

I've always said that trolls were "spineless, gutless people hiding in the dark underbelly of the blogosphere, surfacing in the sunlight when it is safe again, assuming the form of their mild-mannered alter-egos, hiding their rotten identities behind fake smiles."

The time has come to fight back. These people need to be outed. NOW.

I say ZERO TOLERANCE. Enough is enough. Bloggers Unite!

(PLUGGING: For more of my views on trolling, please read MASKED MENACE. And check out NEMESIS, my latest entry at 87 GENTLE STREET.)

2005-12-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE...

I call this picture above "Creche'd Ice"

Yes, that's frost you see, here in Modesto!
I woke up this morning to find a fine blanket of the stuff all over the place.

I guess my kids can now dream of a White Christmas too!

2005-12-01T15:16:00.000-08:00

PLUGGING

Shortly after I got the e-mail below about JULIO DIAZ, my old friend and colleague from Channel 9 News, Cathy Santillan, left a short message on my TagBoard. My past was coming back to haunt me. Before long, familiar scenes started playing out in my mind. I found myself dredging up old memories, some of them nice and others not-so-nice. One of them inspired me to write NEMESIS.

So join me, as I face old foes on "The Long Way Home" to 87 GENTLE STREET. But first, I must warn you. This time, the gloves are off, so don't expect anything even remotely close to gentle.

2005-11-30T14:16:00.000-08:00

REGARDING JULIO DIAZ

I recently got this e-mailed response to FILIPINO FOOT-IN-MOUTH DISEASE, an article I wrote a couple of years ago, which I featured both here and in 87 GENTLE STREET.

"...Re: Julio Diaz

I saw your blog about Julio's inappropriate comments to you. In response I'd say, you're absolutely right to think Julio is "rude" and perhaps "crass". But you know what, that's only because you don't get to know him real well as a person & do not consider him a friend, as he does you. His comments, while inappropriate, are actually Julio's way of expressing his concern for you.

Having been raised in Quiapo by a single mom who sells cigarette for a living. Julio, who as a child was too busy working to help his mom and 3 sisters so they can eat 3 square meals a day, never had the time to learn the social courtesies you expected him to have. In fairness, despite the poverty, Julio was still able to send himself through college and became an accomplished actor. There's no excuse for Julio's actions, but you can be more understanding of others who "were not brought up properly by their parents? It is said "Being tolerant is to respect others' differences... the way they look, their religions, their way of life. It is also to be interested in other people, to see what makes them similar rather than what makes them different. It is to say NO to prejudice."

Ana Marie..."

Now, I'm not at all sure if this same person happens to be Julio's wife. I am assuming it is, since she seems comfortable enough to speak on his behalf, not to mention her last initial also happens to be "D". Wife or not, I am now sharing my response to this e-mail.

Hi Ana Marie.

I'm sorry it's taken me this long to reply to your e-mail. With my son's birthday and the Thanksgiving holiday passing, I'm afraid I've ignored my computer altogether. I dread even looking at the long list of e-mails I have, just waiting to be read.

First of all, I would like to thank you for setting the story clear as far as Julio's intentions behind his comments to me, and if they were, in fact, his way of expressing concern towards me, then I guess they were misinterpreted and for that, I apologize.

I am well aware of Julio's story: how he fought his way out of poverty through strength of character, fortitude and sheer talent. I knew this even before I met him in person. My admiration for him even increased after I met him for the first time. I thought he was charming and courteous, every bit the gentleman I expected him to be.

You can imagine my dismay, upon meeting him for the second time, to discover that he, too, had clay feet. I guess it is obvious, now that you have read my article, that I was offended by his remarks, which, at the time, I found to be not just insensitive, but offensive as well.

And just so you know, I would've found these remarks offensive no matter whom they came from, social history notwithstanding, (and I must say that I also got similar comments from people who were educated and therefore, should've known better).

While you have tried to defend Julio by bringing up the circumstances he was brought up in, I must say that this does not excuse him. Just because someone is a little "rough around the edges", it does not exempt him from common courtesy.

For in fact, "common courtesy", just like "common sense", is not learned in school. We are all born with a strong sense of what is "right" and what is "wrong". It is innate in all of us, whether or not we were taught by our parents.

But all that is water under the bridge. That incident took place almost eight years ago. Much has happened since then, and I now have three kids with LORENZO (whom Julio also knows) and the nonexistent waistline to show for it. Pointed remarks about my gaining weight now roll off my back like water on a duck. In other words, they don't bother me anymore.

I am sorry if I have offended Julio in turn by mentioning this little incident.

Sincerely Yours,

Renee Sereno

2005-11-28T02:04:00.000-08:00

MY VACATION (A Picture Book)
Written and Illustrated by LANCE SERENO, 1st Grade
Additional pictures courtesy of Lance's parents

Page 1

We went to Reno on vacation.
We flew on an airplane.
I saw the sea outside my window.

Page 2

We ate peanuts and pretzels and drank apple juice.
Before we landed, I helped the flight attendants collect garbage.

Page 3

The other passengers clapped and said I was a great helper.
I got to see the cockpit.
The pilot gave me candy.

Page 4

We rode the shuttle bus to the hotel.
Our room was on the 25th floor.
We ate dinner at the buffet.

Page 5

We bought cotton candy.
We went back to our room and took a bath.
We watched a movie before going to sleep.

Page 6

We went home on a train.
We took a taxicab to the train station.
It was my first taxicab ride.

Page 7

We rode the Amtrak all the way to Emeryville.
We ate at the lounge car.
My favorite was the pizza.

Page 8

We stayed in the dome car for the rest of the trip.
We saw mountains, lakes, farms and cities.
We saw ships and cranes and other trains.

(continued)

But the most beautiful sight was the sun setting on the ocean.

The End.

2005-11-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

BELIEVING
by Ira Wollen

Just take my word for it,
If you will lean a little more to the left as you search upward,
And look as far to the right as your eyesight might,
In the white clouds you will see Him,

Maybe not exactly as you expected,
Unlike anything you thought, or been taught,
but He is there,

Watching, and listening to
Each little bit of it,
What ever you might imagine happening
At the particular moment it happens,
He knows about it,

What does He do with all that He sees and hears?
Oh, well I guess He files them all into the most enormous
Computer you could think of,
Maybe to wonder about later

When there is a little more while.

And if you would like to speak with Him about something that happened?
Do as I showed you, leaning and looking and all,
And simply speak,
Ask Him anything about anything,
You will definitely hear His answer,
I myself guarantee it,

You may even get to see Him smile.

This is a personal favorite of mine from the POETRY COLLECTION of my stepfather, IRA WOLLEN, who celebrated his birthday last November 3. It was also his (and my mother's) wedding anniversary.

Happy Birthday, Ira, and Happy Anniversary to you and Mom!

And while on the subject of birthdays, someone else's is coming pretty soon...

My little boy, Lance, is not-so-little anymore. Come Saturday, November 12, he will be turning SIX!

It's hard to believe how far my little preemie has come. Before they went off-track, his homeroom teacher, Mrs. Bray, informed us that Lance, one of the few remaining five-year-olds in first grade, will be joining the second-grade reading class when he goes back to school in December!

She also told us during our parent-teacher conference that she has had to separate our son from the rest of the class during Math quizzes. At first, Lance thought he was being punished, but Mrs. Bray explained to him that she had to do it because too many kids were copying from him!

These are words that any parent would love to hear, and they are the best birthday present we could ever ask for. So, to reward him for all his hard work, Mommy and Daddy are giving Lance a big birthday party on Saturday, with a Spiderman bounce house and a special appearance by Twinkles and Snickers, the clowns!

My son is beside himself with anticipation, insisting on helping me with all of the party details. He even chose his own cake, a Star Wars chocolate creation with strawberry ice cream filling, and topped with the piece-de-resistance, a Darth Vader voice converter.

Yes, he still enjoys his toys, and yes, he still fights his little brother for possession of the last balloon left floating from last night's kid's meal at Denny's, and yes, he still drives me crazy at times.

Okay, all of the time.

But he is also big enough to watch his baby sister while Mommy takes a shower, and he is old enough to set his brother up for nightly tooth-brushing sessions just fine. He can also pick and choose his own outfits like the best of them. And he can tie his own shoelaces, both bunny-ears and rocket-style.

Yes, my little boy is on his way, but thank goodness he doesn't seem to be in any particular rush to get there. It's just as well.

Sometimes, even Mommies need to take baby steps too!

2005-11-06T01:32:00.000-08:00

TRIPLE TREAT
Halloween 2005 in pictures

A. Harvest Festival
Troy's Preschool

B. Trick-or-Treat!
(minus Reanna, who fell asleep as soon as her costume was on!)

C. Back to Candy HQ
(Lance and Troy came home early so they got to give out treats too)

PRADA MAMA REFLECTS...

At the end of the day, it warmed my heart to hear my boys say they enjoyed giving out candy even more than receiving it.

I guess there is some truth to the old adage "It is better to give than to receive"...

Especially when one has sore feet!

2005-10-31T07:51:00.000-08:00

PRIMARY READER
Lesson Number 1

Students are encouraged to click on thumbnails to enlarge.

Baby.
Baby and Cat.
Baby and Rug.
Orb on Cat.
Cat on Rug.
Baby on Rug.
Baby and Cat and Orb.
Baby and Cat and Two Orbs.

Two Orbs?!! That's it, I'm outta here...

This concludes today's reading lesson.

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

LOVE THINE ENEMY

Spammers be warned.

I may be too busy to post regularly and bloghop these days, but I am making a special exception for you poor misguided souls.

In thanks for the flood of blessings The Lord has sent my way of late, I have pledged to redirect all spam in my TagBoards to THIS site.

As for the particularly nasty ones, I reserve the right to change the text to reflect messages more in line with my faith.

So keep the spam coming.

I welcome any opportunity to praise my Lord and Savior.

Amen.

2005-10-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

COLOR MY WORLD

We've added a few touches of color since our last home improvement UPDATE.

WHITE trim...

RED door...

...and BLACK cat.

Presenting the latest addition to Lorenzo and Renee's household...

Lance and Troy's soul sister...
Reanna's sidekick...
and Spot the Pit Bull's new nemesis...

a six-month-old POLYDACTYL kitten whom we adopted from the pound.

Her name is Tabitha Clementine Sereno, but we call her Trouble.

(Which doesn't necessarily mean there aren't others in the household more deserving of the monicker...

...but I won't mention any names!)

2005-10-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

UPDATE

Check out "SUNSHINE", Prada Mama's latest update in 87 GENTLE STREET.

2005-10-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

SIMPLY BOO-TIFUL

Here's a sure-fire recipe for fall family fun.

Materials needed:

one picture-perfect family
one picture-perfect pumpkin

one corkscrew
one POTTERY BARN KIDS pumpkin decorating kit

and one Daddy...

...who's willing to do all the work.

Put them all together and what have you got?

Four picture-perfect smiles
One picture-perfect jack-o'-lantern

And zero mess.

2005-10-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

WEEKEND WARRIORS: A NEW HUE

Saturday, October 1, 2005
to Sunday, October 2, 2005
an undisclosed address
Modesto, CA

This past weekend was a time of renewal.

Out with the grey...

...

And in with the blue.

Feast your eyes on "Blue Suede Shoes", our family home's funky new shade.

White trim to follow.

Stay tuned.

(PLUGGING: More "Home Improvements" in SERENITY. Also, "Paying it Forward", an expression of gratitude at 87 GENTLE STREET, and orbs caught on camera after "Circus Gatti" in SIGHTINGS.)

2005-09-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

UPDATE

"All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Trans-uranic heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available - Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver, and Steel.

Sapphire and Steel have been assigned."

Remember THIS, thirtysomethings?

As you can see, I've been reunited with a long-lost love. Read all about it in SERENITY.

Also presenting...PAYING IT FORWARD. An update at 87 GENTLE STREET.

2005-09-25T22:44:00.000-07:00

WEEKEND WARRIORS: CIRCUS GATTI

Sunday, September 25, 2005
Circus Gatti
Stanislaus County Fairgrounds
Turlock, CA

The circus came to town this weekend...

...with its acrobats...

...and animal acts...

Daddy performed his own balancing act too...

...with his lovely assistant, Reanna!

It was our first family circus ever...

...and another egg in their basket of childhood memories.

(PLUGGING: Some orbs joined us for PICTURE-TAKING at the circus. Check them out at SIGHTINGS.)

2005-09-21T00:28:00.000-07:00

WEEKEND WARRIORS: YOSEMITE

Last weekend, we drove the sleepy backroads of the Central Valley to Northern California's crown jewel, the emerald that is Yosemite.

I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Sunday, September 18, 2005
Yosemite Lodge, Yosemite Valley
Yosemite National Forest, CA

The whole trip was less than a hundred miles from our home in Modesto.

Ain't it good to know God's country is in your backyard?

(PLUGGING: More mysterious orbs in our Yosemite pictures on SIGHTINGS.)

2005-09-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

FALL FASHION PREVIEW
(In three parts: PREVIEW, REVIEW and VIEW)

A. Preview

Guess who my boys will be this Halloween?

Let me give you a clue...

Sorry I spilled the beans, boys. Mommy couldn't resist.

B. Review

2000: Lance, bumblebee
2001: Lance, Po the Teletubbie
2002: Lance, Bob The Builder, Troy, bumblebee
2003: Lance, fireman, Troy, Thomas the Tank Engine
2004: Lance, Spiderman, Troy, scarecrow

Prada Mama's working demonstration of recycling in action:

from Halloween 2002's Lance the Builder...

...to last year's Scarecrow Troy.

If necessity is the mother of invention, then desperation is a missing hard hat before sundown at Halloween.

And salvation is yellow construction paper and a beanie.

C. View

Lance had been bugging me to get a Darth Vader costume since my LILLIAN VERNON catalog came in the mail. Good thing our neighborhood WalMart had a cheaper version, so tonight he went home happy. Troy, who had his heart set on an Imperial Clone Trooper costume, was somewhat disappointed that WalMart didn't carry it. Luckily, my savvy husband was able to convince him to be Batman instead.

My boys came home with their treasures, proudly modeling them for Mommy and gamely posing for pictures. And then they trooped to the family room bearing their Batman chairs for another Sereno family tradition...MOVIE NIGHT!

Tonight's Double Feature: "STAR WARS: Episode 6" and "Batman Forever".

Accessorized accordingly.

2005-09-14T01:36:00.000-07:00

WEEKEND WARRIORS: LAKERS

Sorry for the silence.

I won't even bore you with details, which are mostly mundane anyway.

But it was bound to happen eventually. With the kids growing up and my family taking on more activities, I knew the day would come.

The day when the mechanics of everyday living finally came head-to-head with my blogging.

And living won. Hands down.

But blogging is never far from my mind. And, as my family crosses each milestone and bequeaths each new experience to memory, I wil continue to file everything in my mental computer, our stories lying dormant until I breathe new life into them again.

When I finally find the time.

But for now, since I am well aware of my weakness for procrastination, I have decided to post tangible reminders of our weekend sorties as soon as they happen, to keep those memories fresh for future use.

My initial offering: our last two weekends at the lake.

So begins a new feature in this blog, which I will call "Weekend Warriors". A series of photo montages featuring our forays for the weekend, with text to follow later.

When I finally find the time.

Sunday, September 4, 2005
Playing at the Park
Lake McSwain, CA

Sunday, September 11, 2005
Escapade Houseboat
Lake McClure, CA

Summer may be over, but with beautiful weather still upon us, I fully intend to take advantage of it while my shorts and sleeveless tops are still serviceable.

So here's to the weekend ahead. And more pictures of family togetherness.

Live it up!

2005-09-02T08:40:00.000-07:00

SUMMER'S LAST HURRAH

I have finally figured out the exact moment two normal, thirtysomething parents find themselves merging into the fast lane to middle age.

It is when they realize their social lives are now being dictated upon by the next generation.

Last weekend, for the second week in a row, Lance, Troy and Reanna , my little social butterflies, were invited to another birthday party. Their friend, Israel, was turning six.

I didn't mind the prospect of partying once more. Any excuse to have Mexican food two Saturdays in a row works well enough for me!

ROBERTO's carnitas gave way to Israel's carne asada, grilled right before our eyes and served on tacos and tortas piled high with red or green salsa, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cilantro, and lime wedges on the side. Yum!

Another reason why I didn't mind was because Lorenzo, who rarely tags along for children's parties, went with us last weekend. I was finally able to split chaperone duties with my able-bodied spouse, who engaged our two boys in testosterone-driven duels in the foosball table and cheered them on as they tried to hit the pinata.

Daddies come in very handy this way!

So far, we have no parties in our social calendar this coming weekend, but we'll probably live it up anyway considering it's officially the last weekend of the summer. It's a three-day holiday here in the States, commemmorating Labor Day.

And so, as we bask in the last rays of the summer sun, our souls equally warmed by memories we have accumulated over the season, I would like to share with you Prada Mama's latest Top 10 list...

The Best of Summer 2005:

10) my flowering Wisteria bush

9) Backyard Barbecues

8) SWIMMING PARTIES

7) PICNICS IN THE PARK

6) FISHING TRIPS

5) sun hats

4) ripe yellow mangoes

3) sweet summer corn

2) Flower children

...but all of these pale in comparison to the best Summer 2005 had to offer...

(drum roll...)

1) Bikini Babes!

(TEASER: Find out more about this LABOR OF LOVE on the right, which the three LORENZOs came up with, just in time for Labor Day Weekend. You can read about my new Family Room fixture in SERENITY.

We also caught more orbs on camera during Israel's birthday party. Check them out at SIGHTINGS.

And if you've read A.S. STEPS in 87 GENTLE STREET, you might be interested in reading this ARTICLE. I guess there are girls like these everywhere!

Happy weekend everyone!)

2005-08-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

BABY STEPS

How do you know your sons are growing up right before your eyes?

When you see them dance with a girl for the very first time.

These pictures of Lance and Troy dancing with their friend, Nathalie, were taken during the BIRTHDAY of another former classmate of Lance and Nathalie's, Roberto.

For more on the Cast of Characters, click HERE.

There comes a time in any mother's life when she has to accept the inevitability of her children growing up. Considering I not only took this picture of my son being flocked and smothered simultaneously by two girls...

...but that I also had the courage to post it here, in my blog, is proof positive that I am taking it all quite gracefully.

By the way, does anybody know if they still make smelling salts these days?

Because all of a sudden, I feel faint.

(PLUGGING: We take a detour to the A.S. STEPS as we head back to my alma mater, U.P. Diliman, on The Long Way Home" to 87 GENTLE STREET. Also updates in SERENITY and more orbs sighted in SIGHTINGS.)

2005-08-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

GONE FISHIN'

Have I got a fish story for you.

Last Saturday, my husband, DON LORENZO DE MODESTO, celebrated his 36th BIRTHDAY. My stepson, Joey, was also with us for the weekend. With all four LORENZO's together under one roof, I was expecting testosterone overload and I got it. Yup, for Daddy's birthday, the men decided that we were going fishing.

I swear, Reanna and I are so outnumbered.

So on Saturday afternoon, we all headed back in the direction of San Jose to PARKWAY LAKE. We have always been curious about the place, even while we were still living in the Bay Area. We used to tell ourselves we'd go there whenever we passed it on Highway 101. Well last weekend, we finally made it.

Parkway Lake's close proximity to the urban sprawl of San Jose belies its reputation as a serious fishing spot. Who would believe that at any time of the year, this little reserve almost overtaken by suburbia could boast Rainbow Trout, Channel Catfish, and White Sturgeon, some weighing as much as 62 pounds? And you don't even need a fishing license to fish!

The main park is open until midnight during the summer months, but they had a separate attraction, called "The Sure Catch Pond", which closed its gates at 7:00 PM. This is a little concrete enclosure, separate from the main lake, which is regularly stocked with an inordinate amount of fish, and it was the main reason we were there.

The set-up was so simple, it was ingenious. $2.50 gets you in, parking, fishing rod, tackle, bait, and a bag for the fish included. You also got free instruction and assistance AND, (since this was being supplied by Joey's friend, Adam who worked there), the bonus of someone who had no reservations about picking up big, fat worms and arranging them artfully around our fishing hooks. That, alone, made the whole trip worth it.

You must be wondering if there is a catch to all this. Look no further that "the catch" itself, as in the fish YOU will be catching, which they charge you $4.50 a pound for. There's no way around it: you catch it, you pay for it. Feigning ignorance won't work, either. Signs abound by the pond, reminding everyone "There is no catch and release" at the Sure Catch Pond. And so, armed with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for beginners, we all settled down to do some serious damage to the resident population, our consciences clear in the knowledge that the fish was re-stocked on a weekly basis.

Clearly, the place was built with people like us in mind: a family of weekend warriors, half of its members under the age of six.

Joey was the first one to get a bite. Unfortunately, that was just about as far as he would get: a bite. We were partly to blame for that. All of us were so busy oohing, aahing and taking pictures of the huge fish hanging from his fishing pole that nobody thought to use the net and bucket we were provided, specifically for such moments. Aided by its great weight and gravity, the captured catfish snapped the line, falling back into the the safety of the pond.

Either that fish was really hungry (and really dumb) or it really wasn't its lucky day. Within minutes, Troy felt a tug on his line and asked Daddy to help him pull it in. What appeared on the end of his line but the same three-pounder his kuya caught earlier. How were we so sure? Because it was still sporting Joey's hook in its mouth. Perhaps it did have a death wish after all.

Troy ended up catching three fish that day, and Lance caught three more besides. Both of them accounted for the biggest fish in our haul, two catfish, each weighing a good three pounds or more. Lorenzo and I each caught a fish of our own but of course, Daddy was responsible for more than that, having cast and reeled in the winning lines for our two little boys. Joey did his share, manning the net, while Reanna was our one-baby cheering section.

By the time the Sure Catch pond closed, we had caught eight catfish. We took our bounty to be weighed in at the Bait Shop and they totalled 14 pounds. Not bad for less than an hour's work.

We asked Adam if he could clean the fish for us and he gladly obliged, deftly disposing of heads, blood and guts. I breathed an audible sigh of relief when the carnage was over. I'd forgotten about this unsavory little detail about fishing. Boy, was I glad I didn't have to do it. Another thing we failed to consider was what to do with all that fresh fish, more than a hundred miles away from home.

It was now after sunset, and I was willing to bet that my mother-in-law, who was our closest living relative in terms of proximity, already had dinner on the stove. So there we were, with fourteen pounds of fish in our hands, and we were starving. The irony of it all didn't escape me.

Since it was too far to head home, we decided to go to one of our old haunts, the New Luk Yuen Restaurant in Union City. At the very least, the kids could have their favorite longsilog. To my relief, it was still open when we got there.

The owner still knew us, and he greeted us warmly. I decided to go for broke. While Lorenzo was parking the van, I told him we just celebrated my husband's birthday by going fishing that day and we now had fresh catfish in the car. Would it be possible for them to cook a couple for us? To my relief, he said yes.

We chose the two biggest catfish of the lot, Lance and Troy's prize catches, and we bequeathed them to the owner. He emerged from the kitchen minutes later with this mouthwatering creation: Catfish in Mushroom and Bean Curd Sauce.

After dinner, we checked into the AmeriSuites in nearby Fremont, close to where Lorenzo used to work. Since it was more of a corporate hotel, they had a very reasonable weekend rate. We managed to snag a room with two double beds and a queen sofa sleeper in the living room, along with a generous-sized refrigerator. So there was ample room for all, fish included. Even Reanna had a playpen of her own!

We went down to avail of the hotel's free breakfast the next day. One of the things I really enjoyed about our overnight stay was the well-stocked hot breakfast buffet. I definitely see my family making its way back there again, just for the breakfast alone. There was something for all of us: cereal, milk and muffin for Troy, oatmeal with muesli for Reanna, and sausages, eggs and waffles for everyone else. Yum!

After breakfast, we checked out the pool and the fitness center before heading back to our room. We called my mother-in-law, who expressed interest in the rest of the catfish, to my utter relief. I already had nightmare visions of myself, clumsily attempting to skin the darn things, and they didn't paint a pretty picture.

Well...certainly not as pretty as this one anyway, of Daddy's Little Girl, all fresh and ready to go to Lola's house, where we ate ourselves silly all over again.

We headed back to Modesto later that day, bearing wonderful memories of Daddy's fun birthday weekend.

Happy Birthday Dad!

(PLUGGING: We make a detour to Whistle Stop on "The Long Way Home", to celebrate another BIRTHDAY with Lorenzo on 87 GENTLE STREET. And check out "GIRLS' DAY OUT", featuring Reanna and Mommy in SERENITY.)

(UPDATE: We just found out that Joey found a summer job, working with his friend, Adam, at PARKWAY LAKE. Congratulations, Joe!)

2005-08-09T23:17:00.000-07:00

SUPER KULIT

I would never trade the tears
The conversations no one hears
The learning how to walk before we run...

-from "OF ALL THE THINGS" by Dennis Lambert

It's now the second week of school.

Troy still sheds tears whenever we leave him in his preschool, but he's getting better at partings. Lance, in the meantime, hasn't started bringing homework home yet. I somehow feel like I've been given a mini-reprieve of some sort.

So all is quiet in the homefront right now. A little too quiet for my taste.

I miss my two boys. I miss their hugs and I love you's, I miss their infectious laughter, heck, I even miss their bickering at this point! But most of all, I miss our conversations.

For indeed, who can forget such scintillating discourse, as exemplified in the following quotes from my Awesome Twosome:

TROY: Mom there was a teeter-totter in the park today.
MOMMY: You know, when we were younger, we used to call those see-saws.
LANCE: In the old days?
MOMMY: You make me sound like I'm ancient, Lance.
LANCE: Asian?
MOMMY: Ancient.
LANCE: That's what they called it back then?

(Daddy and Lance, looking at the Red Nova website)
DADDY: Look, here's a picture of a hurricane in the Southern gulf of Mexico!
LANCE: From Saturn to Mexico?

(Lance, looking at his World Map...)
"Mom, why do they call it the Indian Ocean? Indians don't live in the ocean!"

(Lance and Mommy do homework, identifying objects that come from plants)
MOMMY: You missed this, Lance. Flour. Flour is made out of...?
(Lance finishes Mommy's sentence with an air of the obvious.)
LANCE: Flowers!

(After watching the wedding scene in "Shrek...")

TROY: Mom?
MOMMY: Yes, love?
TROY: Are you and Daddy married?
MOMMY: Yes, Troy, Mom and Dad are married.

(Silence while my son ponders something, deep in thought. He breaks into a shy smile.)

TROY: Mom?
MOMMY: Yes, Troy?
TROY: Then you're a princess?

(Troy looks on curiously while Mom and Dad eat clams. He grabs a clam shell from the discarded pile, holding it to his ear, his look expectant, then irritated. Mom and Dad are still talking when they hear a little voice scolding them.)

"Shh...quiet Mom, I can't hear the ocean!"

Finally, the quote that sticks the most to my mind is the remark I overheard from Troy while he was watching his favorite show, "Zaboomafoo", on PBS Kids. This line that was such a gem, I just had to share it here...)

"Prairie dogs run faster than Daddy."

Bet you've never heard that one before!

(UPDATE: For Lorenzo's 36th birthday, we make a detour to "Whistle Stop" in Makati for a birthday story on "The Long Way Home" to 87 GENTLE STREET.)

2005-08-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

SCHOOL DAZE

Dazed. Confused. Befuddled. Confunded.

Zombie-like. Inferi-ish.

Choose your pick. Any of these words can describe me now, as I try to get used to my household's new schedule. A much earlier schedule, I might add, since my two boys started school last Monday, August 1.

Lance doesn't seem to mind. He's always been the early bird among us anyway. He woke up bright and early on his first day of classes, dancing with excitement upon discovering he had another present from the tooth fairy: a Thomas the Tank Engine toothbrush.

He had just lost his second tooth the day before, and refused to smile for any of the pictures I took during our second visit to THOMAS. I was lucky to even catch a flash of these pearly whites with a wide gap in the middle.

The tooth fairy was democratic this time, leaving a toothbrush under Troy's pillow as well.

Lance felt this was unfair at first. After all, he had to shed blood and undergo a wee bit of discomfort to get his present from the tooth fairy. But when I told him the tooth fairy was just congratulating Troy on his first day of preschool, he seemed to understand.

Lance and I were the earliest to arrive at Mrs. Bray's class. My son lost no time in finding his desk, zeroing in on the big "Lorenzo" emblazoned on it. I also volunteered my services, copying and collating their first coloring book. I didn't mind, since it afforded me the chance to be a fly in the wall for a few precious moments. Unlike the Philippines, parents aren't allowed to sit in on their children's classes here in the States, unless they volunteer to help out.

Lance was being his usual precocious self, showing off his reading skills by reading his teacher's placards half a beat before the rest of his classmates. I heard Mrs. Bray praise him, telling him he might just be booted up to second grade because he was reading so well, and I felt flushed with pride.

I finished sorting and collating the books and said goodbye to Lance. I knew I had to head back home to get my second son ready for school.

Troy was excited to be starting preschool. Like his kuya, who didn't eat much before leaving home due to back-to-school jitters, Troy barely had an appetite during breakfast. Upon lining up for class. however, I heard the welcome words "I'm hungry", and I knew we were off to a good start.

The preschool parents were allowed to stay for the first thirty minutes, just for the first couple of weeks, to ease their children's transition to school. Needless to say, many tears were shed that day, and not just by the students. I could see quite a few parents dabbing at their eyes as well!

Troy wasn't kidding when he said he was hungry. He ate his lunch with a hearty appetite.

After eating, it was book time. I was happy to find a copy of "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn, an excellent book which deals specifically with a child's separation anxiety on the first day of school. I read it to Troy and placed a kiss and a sticker on his "kissing hand", telling him that we will be leaving him soon, but, just like Chester Raccoon's Mommy, my kiss will stay there, no matter what he does. And if he ever felt lonely, all he had to do was to take that kiss and put it on his cheek and he would feel better.

The parents were starting to go, and the kids' cries were getting louder, but Troy soldiered on stoically, all throughout circle time, even politely raising his hand to answer a question his teacher asked about the book she had just read aloud, "Spot Goes to School".

It was going so well that I decided to check up on Lance, whose first grade class was scheduled to end soon. I caught up with the group when they were just about to exit to the quadrangle, and shot this picture then.

Together, Lance and I marched back to Troy's preschool. The class was now doing manipulatives, and Troy had zeroed in on a tray of beads, threading them on a string of yarn, two to a color, and creating wonderful patterns. He was so intent on the task at hand, he didn't even complain when I reminded him that Mommy, Daddy, Lance and Reanna had to be going soon.

I guess we should've made our exit then, while he was still busily distracted by the stringing activity. But Lorenzo and I just had to push our luck, wondering how long we could hang around before the teacher threw us out.

Big mistake. By the time we said our goodbyes, it was already time for outdoor play. I could see Troy's face starting to fall when Lorenzo bent down to kiss him. I motioned to my kissing hand to remind him of the story we read earlier, but no logic could get through at that point. All he knew was that Mommy and Daddy were leaving him, and the tears finally came.

We beat a hasty retreat, every inch of us wanting to stay but we knew it was impossible. So we ran some errands, just to kill time, and made our way back there at three o'clock.

It was over. Lance and Troy had survived their first day of school, both of them none the worse for wear. We were so happy, we headed to McDonald's to celebrate. (By popular demand, of course!)

By the time all the kids were settled in, chatting gaily over their french fries and chicken nuggets and sliding down the tube slide using our food tray as a sled, Lorenzo and I started to relax as well, both of us still getting used to the idea that we now had two children going to school. Indeed, both of our sons seemed to have sprouted overnight. Where did all that time go?

As we watched our two boys, playing boisterously with Lance's kindergarten classmate, Jermey, their first day jitters all but foregotten, it was obvious that the day took more of an emotional toll on us, their parents. Because at that point, we were just glad it was over.

After all, it was our first day too!

(PLUGGING: SLIDING DOORS. We head back to the day we first met and ponder on the question "What if?" on "The Long Way Home" to 87 GENTLE STREET.)

(UPDATES: SCHOOL BUZZ in SERENITY, and anniversary orbs in SIGHTINGS.)

2005-07-29T03:11:00.000-07:00

SHARING THE LOVE

"...would you mind me asking... are you guys currently living together?..."

"...gotta ask you this: cause I am curious, you and your hubby are away (overseas) from each other or you are just so sweet to each other. (giggle) sorry I don't want to intrude but I am tsismoso..."

These are just two of the questions I've received regarding SERENITY, the matrimonial blog I share with my husband, DON LORENZO DE MODESTO.

Just for the record, Lorenzo and I live together.

I guess I'm to blame for all this confusion, for failing to make a proper introduction of our joint venture.

"Serenity" is our matrimonial blog. The special space I share with my husband online. We launched it sometime in May as a joint project, aimed at "sharing the love" with the rest of the blogosphere while enhancing our relationship in the process.

We do this through a series of letters that we write to each other online. If you've ever been to "Serenity", you will notice that the entries are color-coded: pink for my posts and blue for Lorenzo's.

Right now, there are more pink than blue entries, but hopefully that will change as Lorenzo slowly sheds the shyness he feels when it comes to his writing.

Anyway, while I choose to express my love for him through online prose, Lorenzo has a decidedly more practical approach at showing his love, be it the perfectly halved and wedged grapefruit he brings up to me as I write my latest entries, or those cold, colorful pastel creations he surprises me with: shakes and smoothies made just the way I like them, with very little sugar.

And then there are those afternoons when he takes Lance and Troy to the park, just to get them out of my hair, or the mornings he lets me sleep in, which does wonders to my well-being.

We all have ways of showing our love to those whose lives we share.

And the more we express this love, the more love we get in return.

Happy Anniversary to a wonderful husband and partner. I love you SO MUCH.

(PLUGGING: Read all about the night we met in SLIDING DOORS, on "The Long Way Home" to 87 GENTLE STREET. Also COUNTDOWN TO CLASSES, the latest update in SERENITY.)

2005-07-25T23:15:00.000-07:00

THE TOOTH OF THE MATTER

"Mom, the tooth fairy didn't come!"

My son woke up disappointed, still clutching his precious tooth, the one he finally managed to uproot yesterday. I took the picture above while it was still hanging, skewed, from his lower gum, before I finally gave him the go-ahead to yank it out of his mouth.

"Maybe the tooth fairy didn't find it," I said.

Lance refused to let go of that tooth after rinsing it. He carried it with him everywhere he went, nervously losing it three of four times before finding it again. By the time he fell asleep, he was holding it in a vise grip. The tooth fairy was afraid she'd wake him if she tried to pry it from his fingers, so she did the next best thing: nothing.

"What will the tooth fairy do with my tooth?"

"I don't know. Maybe she'll plant it so she can grow many more baby teeth like yours? Anyway, I'm sure the tooth fairy didn't find it because it wasn't under your pillow. Why don't you put it there now?"

"Even if I'm not sleeping?"

"Yes. Who knows? Maybe she's just a little late in her rounds..."

So Lance left the tooth under his pillow while we took Troy to his Preschool Orientation. Sure enough, when we came back, Lance rushed upstairs to his bedroom to find this under his pillow, waiting for him.

He was so excited with his new Red Ranger squirt gun, he played with it in the shower.

Good ol' tooth fairy...

And speaking of preschool, I guess my little boy, Troy, is also starting to get long in the tooth. It seems just like yesterday when we moved to Modesto, less than three months after he was born. And now he's getting ready for preschool!

We took him to his orientation today, which was like a shortened version of his daily class schedule, with parents around. He seemed to settle in quite well.

It warmed my heart to hear him say "See you on Monday", to his teacher, Mrs. Andrea. After all, Troy is no stranger to the place. He used to go there a lot when Lance was still in preschool, just over a year ago. And now it's Reanna's turn to play saling-pusa when I take her Kuya Troy to school.

Based on this beaming smile at the Lego station, I doubt she'll mind at all!

Oh, and getting back to the subject of teeth, do you see a difference between the picture above and this picture, taken just four days before it?

That's right. Reanna's lower teeth quietly made their appearance over the weekend.

Teeth, or the lack thereof, have always been the source of bittersweet inner conflict for mothers like me. For indeed, don't we wait with bated breath for the first tooth to cut through the gum, take millions of pictures of it, and then lament the fact that our babies will never look the same again?

I, for one, took countless toothless pictures of all of my kids, knowing these gummy smiles wouldn't last forever. I was lucky enough to shoot the picture on the left during Lance's kindergarten swimming PARTY. It is Reanna's last toothless photo on record. I took the picture on the right, with a very visible upper tooth, in KNIGHTS FERRY just nine days later.

My baby has graduated from gummy smiles to toothy grins.

There's no two ways about it. Like it or not, Reanna is definitely on her way.

And that's the hard tooth, err truth.

(UPDATE: "SLIDING DOORS", the story of how we first met with the mysterious question of altrernate endings thrown in on "The Long Way Home", just in time for our anniversary at 87 GENTLE STREET.)

2005-07-22T01:57:00.000-07:00

THE RAG-TAG BUNCH

I've been tagged!

Thanks to NIKKI, who obviously doesn't think I'm too old for such things.

So, on to the questionnaire...

1. WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU ENJOY DOING EVEN WHEN THERE'S NO ONE AROUND YOU?

(Actually, I don't think this question makes much sense, but it's a condensed and edited version of "WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU ENJOY EVEN WHEN NO ONE AROUND YOU WANTS TO GO OUT AND PLAY?", which is quite unintelligible in a Japanese Slam Book sort of way.)

Okay, these are the things I enjoy doing, and I don't particularly care if there's anyone around me or not when I'm doing them. I can be radical that way.

1. Blogging.
2. Sleeping.
3. Singing.
4. Reading.

Not necessarily in that order.

2. WHAT LOWERS YOUR STRESS/ BLOOD PRESSURE/ ANXIETY LEVEL?
(Make a list, Post it in your journal.)

1. Blogging.
2. Sleeping.
3. Singing.
4. Reading.

5. Plucking unwanted body hairs.
(very therapeutic, highly recommended.)

6. Snuggling with any of my kids.
7. Looking at their baby pictures.
8. Exploring new places with my HUSBAND.
9. Petting Spot the Pit Bull.
10. Listening to the waterfall in my back yard.

But all these pale in comparison to the most effective technique to
"lower stress/ blood pressure/ anxiety level":

Praying.

Believe me, it works every time.

3. TAG 5 FRIENDS AND ASK THEM TO POST IT IN THEIRS.

I am sending this out to five of my mother/blogger friends, in the hopes of learning a thing or two from their own methods of coping.

1. BING
2. BAMBIT
3. JUSTICE
4. LINNOR
5. CHRISTINE

And just to stir things up a bit, I am adding one more name to my list:

6. MEEYAGIRL

Yes, I can be a rebel that way. And while I'm at it, why don't I kick it up a notch, by inviting anyone interested to share the secrets of their serenity with me.

Please post your answers in your blog and e-mail me so that I can read them. Of course, you may also choose to just post them here as a comment. Either one works for me.

I'm easy that way.

(PLUGGING: Come and meet MANG BEN on "The Long Way Home" to 87 GENTLE STREET.)

2005-07-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

FUNTASTIC FOUR

Don't you think Troy looks fantastic at four?

His birthday party was nothing short of fantastic either.

Guests started arriving at 3:00 PM, eager to jump into the water, which wasn't surprising, considering my backyard thermometer registered 110 in the shade.

It was sweltering out there. I didn't envy the parents watching their kids outside. Good thing Lorenzo had outdoor duty covered. I chose to stay indoors myself, entertaining the other guests who wisely sought refuge in my air-conditioned family room. I use the word "wisely" here because they had easier access to the food and the karaoke Magic Mic as well.

Oh, ihe sparkling aquamarine water never looked so good, and the waterfall's trickle was a siren call that beckoned to me everytime I went outside, but as hostess of the event I had no choice but to leave the revelling and carousing to the younger set.

Good thing the punishing afternoon heat gave way to balmy breezes at twilight. The revelry continued under the light of the tiki torches, which Lorenzo put up, much to the fascination of the boys in the group.

Then it was time to bring out the THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE birthday cake, party hats, and loot bags, and sing "Happy Birthday" to Troy.

Daddy sliced the cake and I scooped the ice cream, and together we ran the assembly line quite smoothly, distributing dessert to all guests present. But all the kids seemed to be interested in were the party favors from their goody bags.

Troy graciously did the rounds, patiently mingling with the guests outside, eating cake and ice cream. But I knew his mind was elsewhere. Inside, to be exact, dwelling around the immediate vicinity of his presents. Sure enough, it wasn't long before he was drawn back to the family room, pouncing on the colorful pile as soon as I gave the go-ahead.

Then there was more swimming, singing and eating, and even a balloon animal demonstration from Lorenzo.

But Troy never got to see the balloon dinosaur he requested from his Daddy.

Exhausted from all the excitement, my little boy fell asleep on the couch, straddling the precious Thomas book he got for a present, dreaming of talking trains and swimming parties in a land where one stays four years old forever.

Sweet dreams, my son.

And Happy Birthday.

(UPDATES: Reanna's MAIDEN VOYAGE in SERENITY, a birthday orb in SIGHTINGS, and we meet "MANG BEN", on "The Long Way Home" to 87 GENTLE STREET.)

2005-07-14T12:12:00.000-07:00

DEJA VIEW

Movie night.

It seems just like yesterday when I was writing about one of my favorite family TRADITIONS.

And yet it's been a year since we all watched "Harry Potter" IN CHARACTER in our darkened family room. I know because I bought the boys their Harry Potter loot bags while shopping for Spiderman party favors for Troy's third BIRTHDAY PARTY.

And now he's turning four.

So a few weeks ago, right on schedule, Mommy made her way back to Party City again to get her GEAR.

I love Party City, which isn't surprising since I've always been an unabashed child when it comes to PARTIES. There's just something about the festive, colorful party favors which brings out the nine-year-old in me.

Yes, I confess. When I'm in that place, I'm Veruca Salt and "I want it NOW!"

It didn't help that I brought Lance with me this time. Guess how long it took before HE was also hypnotized by all that tempting eye candy?

Big mistake. By the time we were at the character aisle, my five-year-old was completely under Party City's spell.

"Ooh, dinosaurs!"

Yes, Lance.

"Look Mom, a Spiderman pencil case, and it even has a sharpener..."

That's good, Lance.

"Mom, can I get it?"

You're almost out of school, Lance.

"But Mooooom, I REALLY need a sharpener..."

I bring out my cell phone and pretend to call Daddy in the parking lot, asking him in a LOUD voice to come pick up his son because he was bothering me.

This bought me about 90 seconds of silence, which I wisely used to load up my cart with all the Thomas the Tank Engine party material I could lay my hands on. Sure enough, after holding his peace for what must've seemed like eons to my little boy, I heard a hesitant voice beside me.

"Mom?"

Yes, Lance?

"Can I have a Power Rangers party for my next birthday?"

Never underestimate the resolve of a five-year-old. They are relentless.

But, I am not totally heartless.

Instead of getting him his Spiderman pencil case, which I knew would be emptied within an hour and totally forgotten the next day, I got a couple of pirate hooks from the pirate-themed party displays and a package of eye patches and clip-on earrings besides.

Drawing inspiration from our family's tradition, I asked Lance if he wanted to have a Peter Pan Movie Night instead, with "Peter Pan", "Hook" (which my kids call "Peter Pan 2"), and "Finding Neverland" (which we bought on sale but never really got around to watching).

A light sparkled in my son's eyes and a smile formed on his lips.

It was settled then. We had a date.

Movie Night tonight.

When we got home, Lance and Troy couldn't wait to put on their pirate gear.

They showed it off to their neighborhood playmates, even generously giving their friends, Miguel and Israel, their leftover eye patches and clip-on earrings. It was wonderful to see them playing in my neighbor's back yard, with their pirate's gear, Power Rangers guns and light sabers (never mind if they didn't match), fueled by imaginations still fertile in their tender age.

And when night came, they huddled in the family room couch after their bedtime baths, watching daring deeds of derring-do from the boy who never grew up.

Don't we ALL wish that was the case sometimes?

(PLUGGING: More on "MOVIE NIGHT" in SERENITY while we're off to see "THE LIZARD OF OZ" on "THE LONG WAY HOME". Also more MOVIE NIGHT pictures in my BRAG BOOK.)

2005-07-11T23:55:00.000-07:00

OUTING THOMAS

The following e-mail was passed on to me by DINA, who, like me, is also the mother of an up-and-coming first-grader. I am passing it on to everyone else out there who appreciates intelligent programming, on TV and radio:

"A House panel has voted to eliminate all public funding for NPR and
PBS, starting with "Sesame Street", "Reading Rainbow," and other
commercial-free children's shows. If approved, this would be the most
severe cut in the history of public broadcasting, threatening to pull
the plug on Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch.

The cuts would slash 25% of the federal funding this year ($100
million) and end funding altogether within two years. The loss could
kill beloved children's shows like "Clifford the Big Red Dog,"
"Arthur," and "Postcards from Buster." Rural stations and those serving low-income communities might not survive. Other stations would have to increase corporate sponsorships."

Read more about it in this ARTICLE...

...or sign the PETITION telling Congress to save NPR and PBS.

My kids LOVE their PBS shows. We are lucky to have two PBS stations here in Modesto, KQED, serving the San Francisco Bay Area and KVIE, serving Sacramento and its surrounding cities.

I grew up watching "Sesame Street". My children now watch it. Hopefully, my grandchildren will be watching it too.

But "Sesame Street" isn't the only show my kids love on PBS. Lance has graduated to "Reading Rainbow" and "Between the Lions" while Troy alternates between "Caillou", "Jay Jay the Jet Plane" and his current favorite, "Zaboomafoo", which he watches On Demand at PBS Sprout.

Of all the shows on the PBS lineup however, nothing has touched my sons' hearts as much as "Thomas the Tank Engine".

Lance and Troy didn't really know much about Thomas, until that fateful day we took my Mom, (who was visiting us from New York), to Sacramento for a little bit of sightseeing.

Lance was only three at the time, and Troy was just a month shy of his second birthday. Our first stop was the CALIFORNIA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM, a must-see for people of all ages who love trains and railroading. And as luck would have it, the museum was paying host to DAY OUT WITH THOMAS that day.

Lance and Troy got to see Sir Topham Hatt and play with the animals in the petting zoo. But the best part of it all was riding Thomas himself, on a picturesque run along the Sacramento River. All of us even got a certificate after the train ride. And then Lorenzo and I took the kids to watch Thomas being turned before posing for this souvenir picture.

Lance and Troy were hooked on Thomas after that. They now have quite a collection of Thomas and Friends DVDs, books and toys. Troy even went trick-or-treating as Thomas the following Halloween.

With my kids' fascination with the "Really Useful Engine", I knew it was just a matter of time before one of them asked for a Thomas party for their birthday. And now it has happened. A few weeks ago, Troy and I marched into Raley's to pick out a birthday cake. Guess what figure he chose for his cake topper...

(I'll give you a hint:)

These days, Troy has taken to asking me "Mom, is it my birthday yet?" every few hours. He insists on helping me deliver his invitations. He even falls asleep beside his wooden train tracks, clutching his favorite bedtime storybook up close.

(Sigh.) My little boy is fast growing up. It seems just like yesterday when he used to tag along as I volunteered in Lance's Preschool. He used to take a different train toy along with him each day, whether it was Thomas, or James or Percy.

And now, he is poised to begin preschool himself, at the start of August.

But we have a little surprise to send them off to school with. On the last weekend of July, (which also happens to be the weekend of our fifth wedding anniversary), we will be heading for the hills surrounding the beachside enclave of Santa Cruz. Our destination? ROARING CAMP RAILROADS in nearby Fenton, for a return engagement with the cheeky blue engine.

Day Out With Thomas, here we go again!

(PLUGGING: We're off to see "THE LIZARD OF OZ" on "The Long Way Home" to 87 GENTLE STREET.)

2005-07-08T02:04:00.000-07:00

THE FORGOTTEN FIVE

Oops!

This was sent my way by TEACHER SOL some time ago. I guess I deserve an F for this late reply.

(Deep breath followed by sing-song RECITATION...)

If I could be in one place right now...I would be closer to my oldest son, MAX, who lives in Toronto but travels so much with my ex-husband that it's hard to pinpoint just one place.

If I could give something of myself to my friends...it would be my personal relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

If I could take some people somewhere...I would bring my kids back to the Philippines so they could meet their family members there.

If I could make one dream come true...I would be a Board-Certified Lactation Consultant and work in the maternity ward with newborn babies, educating their mothers about the importance of BREASTFEEDING.

If I could do real magic...I would send an invisible part of me to be with my kids at all times so I can keep an eye on them, even when we are physically apart.

Here's my contribution to the mix:

I blog because... I would like to record my family's special moments, and although photographs are effective in recording the actual sights, written commentary also helps me relive the sounds, scents and sensations of that particular MEMORY in my mind's eye.

I comment because... something in an article sparks my interest.

I bloghop because... I would like to repay the kindness of those people who take precious time to read what I have to say. (Yes, I DO return visits, although I do not always comment because most of the time, I have a curious baby on my lap who thinks the keyboard is her personal toy.)

I link because... I like having other windows to the world. It's so nice to be able to go to places I've never been, like SWITZERLAND or NEW ZEALAND, with just one click on a link!

My favorite bloggers are... RENAISSANCE GIRL and BATJAY, not because I know them personally (Mona being a former blockmate of mine in UP and BatJay my HUSBAND's first cousin), but because they are exceptional writers. Mona's writing reminds me of one of my favorite humorists, Erma Bombeck, and BatJay can make me laugh out loud, just like my other favorite humorist, Dave Barry. Yet both are equally capable of coming out with poignant entries which tug at the heart strings when they're done tickling the funny bone.

So there you have it, my FAMOUS FIVE.

I won't limit myself by just sending this to five people because I am honestly curious about other people's motivations for blogging, commenting, bloghopping and linking.

Therefore, I am sending this out as an open questionnaire to anyone who cares to answer them. You can choose to post your answers in your blog. I only ask that you please let me know if you've replied, either through e-mail (pradamama@peoplepc.com), or by leaving a comment or tag, so that I can read your answers.

Of course, you may also choose to just reply here, by posting a comment.

Hmmm...I wonder how many replies I get on this one?

(PLUGGING: updates in SERENITY and SIGHTINGS and we're off to see "THE LIZARD OF OZ" on "The Long Way Home" to 87 GENTLE STREET.)

2005-07-05T23:19:00.000-07:00

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION

A. SPONTANEOUS:

spon-ta'-ne-ous: adjective. Happening or arising without apparent external cause; self-generated. Synonym: impulsive, instinctive. These adjectives mean acting, reacting, or happening without apparent forethought or prompting. (from DICTIONARY.COM)

Spontaneous.

If I had to choose a word to describe our long Fourth of July weekend, it would be spontaneous.

We didn't really make any special plans. We were expecting my AUNTIE OLIVE to join us from L.A. but she had to cancel at the last minute.

And then the door bell rang on Friday night, and it was my brother-in-law, Simon, who had a surprise for my husband, LORENZO: their youngest sister, Madel, whom he picked up from their parents' home in Milpitas.

Little did we know it then, but that simple chime would determine our plans for the next three days. That and the unmistakeable ring of my husband's cell phone.

Rrring...(actually a voice recording of Troy when he was two years old)...
It is Simon on the other line. After the initial pleasantries are dispensed with, the brothers get down to business...

LORENZO: Ano'ng plano nyo? (What are your plans?)
SIMON: Wala. (None.)
LORENZO: Daan na lang kayo dito. (Just come over then.)

My husband and his brother had the same conversation on Saturday and Sunday morning, so you could expect the Cast of Characters to be pretty much unchanged for both days. We did, however, switch roles where it was most important, food preparation.

On Saturday, for instance, Simon was the designated head chef, responsible for barbecuing steaks, short ribs, and the most succulent ribs I've had in a long time. I was sous-chef, cooking rice, steaming corn, microwaving mixed vegetables and boiling balut on the side.

I was promoted to head chef on Sunday, proudly producing a turbo-roasted lechon which was crispy on the outside and fork-tender on the inside. I also boiled some more corn to while away the time as Lorenzo and Simon scoured the streets for liver sauce, finally scoring a couple of half-empty bottles of Mang Tomas in Simon's fridge.

And then we got down to the serious business of eating.

The rest of the time was spent swimming, singing karaoke, and watching martial arts movies as Madel and I lined up and eagerly devoured "The House of Flying Daggers", "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Hero".

We also made last-minute plans for a Fourth of July picnic in historic KNIGHTS FERRY, CA.

Knights Ferry is located on the banks of the Stanislaus River. It houses the longest covered bridge in California, built in 1864. It also happens to be one of our favorite picnic and fishing spots, less than an hour away from home.

And so, on Monday morning, the three Sereno siblings, Madel, her kuyas, Simon and Lorenzo, together with their families, motored over to the picturesque town, their vehicles laden with food and picnic gear.

We found a table in the perfect location, right by the river. The men fired up the grill while the rest of us settled in.

Cast of Characters: For this special occasion, the main parts went to the men, Simon and Lorenzo, who alternated in the role of head chef, depending on who had possession of the tongs. Simon's wife, Baby, was sous-chef, bringing out the chips and salsa and chopping up the salad, while I was content in the role of dessert chef, unveiling the creation I made together with my sous-chef, Madel, the day before.

After a delicious repast of steak, polish sausages, roasted corn, salad, and of course, my leche flan, the men set off to find a good fishing spot while the ladies and kids lounged in the shade.

Lance, Troy and Simon's son, Chivas soon found themselves drawn to the water too. After seeing a deer on the opposite bank and yelling "Hi Bambi" at it, it wasn't long before my boys were in the Stanislaus River themselves. Lance even swam in the cold water, under his Daddy's watchful gaze. You could imagine my surprise when I saw my two wet, bedraggled boys walking towards me from the river's edge.

Good thing Daddy had them cleaned and dressed in no time, since they were going fishing next. Reanna was fascinated with Troy's sun gear, but her kuya refused to relinquish his fishing hat.

I followed the boys, who joined their Daddy, Chivas and Uncle Simon in their favorite fishing spot, where they caught a big bucketful of crawdads the last time we went there. And when the boys got bored, I invited them to explore the covered bridge with Reanna and me. We took pictures of the structure's interior and exterior, as well as the spectacular views, as seen from the inside.

Aside from the bridge, we also visited the ruins of the old mill beside it and the mill house across the street. Lance had fun pointing out all the memorial markers, which he read out loud, with Mom's occasional help.

By then it was getting late, and we knew it wouldn't be long before it was time to go. We wanted to head back to Modesto before dusk so we could catch the fireworks display after sunset. The other adults packed up our picnic gear before Lorenzo set out to look for us. He finally caught up with us at the mill house and we were able to take this windblown family picture before we left.

Modesto. Fireworks. Here we come!

B. COMBUSTION

(photo taken by Julia Weeks, MODBEE.COM)

com-bus'-tion: noun. A chemical change, especially oxidation, accompanied by the production of heat and light. (from DICTIONARY.COM)

Combustion.

That was just what we were there to see.

The atmosphere at John Thurman field in Modesto was festive as people waited for the fireworks display coming from the stadium. This is where Triple A baseball team the Modesto A's holds their home games, usually capped with spectacular fireworks displays when they win.

We found the perfect parking spot, just beside the entrance to the stadium, and proceeded to unpack our vehicles once more. And then we walked just a short distance on the grass to choose a spot with a full view of the stadium, and of the skies above it.

It wasn't long before we were all set-up again. We were hungry and couldn't wait to tuck into our food, left over from the picnic that afternoon. I never knew nachos topped with steak and salsa could taste so good. It was a little tricky eating my leftover leche flan in the dark, but I heard no one complaining!

And when the fireworks came, they were spectacular. The display was over much too soon, I thought, and I really wanted to incite my neighbors to stomp their feet and yell "Encore!", but since everyone else was packing up in a mad dash to leave, I figured it was futile.

A quick glance behind me explained the mass exodus. People were trying to avoid the huge traffic jam which usually follows events like these. Unfortunately, everyone else had the same bright idea.

Good thing we were parked in the perfect spot. The police put barricades a few meters behind us, and all the cars behind the barricades had to turn left. We, on the other hand, were the owners of the last two vehicles on the deserted street beyond the barricade, so we were able to pack our belongings at leisure.

And when we were ready to leave, the policeman directing traffic in front of us actually stopped the long line of cars going the other way, in order to let us through.

Boy, did we feel special! It was the perfect end to a glorious day.

A picnic in the park capped by a picnic in the dark...

And the best Fourth of July I've ever experienced by far.

(PLUGGING: Knights Ferry orbs caught on camera in SIGHTINGS, and "Summer Love", Part 1 of a double entry about my childhood summers in ILIGAN on "The Long Way Home" to 87 GENTLE STREET.)