#RayalaTravels

R, Sophia and I are like most families who always look forward to traveling together. My girl first rode a plane at 15 months when I didn't have a camera phone yet so there were no documented photos. It was a crazy trip - flight was a day delayed and my baby vomitted her milk during take-off. Yikes! But having to spent the holidays with our soldier daddy for 13 days in the farflung province that is Surigao del Sur, the crazy things that happened were worth it. What we are looking forward to now is to travel by plane altogether. Prayerfully, it will happen soon.

This year, last summer, we had a 3-day semi-planned vacation up north. It was exciting as it was the first time that we have been to a new place we've never been before. Sure, it was also our first time to see Potipot in Zambales and Hundred Islands in Pangasinan but we went there while we were at R's workplace. You know, it was just due to a spur-of-the-moment, itchy feeling to swim on the beach. But as for our long drive to Ilocos, I booked us a really nice hotel via Deal Grocer a month ahead. We also researched (aka read blogs) on where we should frolic and grab some grub. Just like in all the travels we did, I enjoyed taking photos! I then posted a few on Instagram and later found myself creating a hashtag that would collate all the travel photos so we can easily go back to it for posterity and nostalgia. The hashtag was called #RayalaTravels - by obvious reasons, haha.

Kris Aquino's Advice to Moms

I am not a fan of hers. Some people said I'm like her when this blog was called Bebengisms. Not sure if it was because I was featuring too many products here. Or was it because I was too full of myself then? I don't know about you but despite the many intrigues and controversies she has put herself into, she's an amazing media personality. Well, on TV. Hindi ko siya keri on the big screen eh. She's a good host kahit minsan hindi na niya pinagsaalita ang mga ini-interview niya but acting isn't for her, imho.

So, netizens were abuzz when photos of her in the GMA Network studio circulated around in the interwebs. Ayun nga, she guested on Yan Ang Morning, Marian Rivera's morning show on GMA 7 last week, July 1. Kibitzers said it was to make the rival network's show feel bad about themselves as it looked like they replaced Kris. It was just sabi-sabi. Kris said that she promised her "inaanak sa kasal", Marian that she would guest on her show once she's back from her vacation. 

And she kept her promise. 

Exciting Things Ahead

Today is the first day of the second half of the year. Isn't it amazing how quickly time flew? So, what do we have here? We got changes. The Philippines has a new president! My girl is in a new school! And to make this post a bit egocentrically silly - this blog's initials share the same with the new president's! Cool, right? LOL. Mai-relate lang. Tbh, I didn't campaign for him but since he was the people's choice... well, congratulations! I have read his simple but meaningful speech yesterday. It was good. Kudos to his team for putting up a decent inauguration. Let us hope for the best! After all, his win is our win. 

Now, off to more personal stuff.

A Fun Family Day at Ruby Spa

Whenever my husband is home (for those new here, he's in the military) and there are no scheduled activities for our family to do, we while away our weekend evening with going to our favorite spa. Sometimes, we leave the girl to his mom so we can have each other to ourselves. Or when we have extra budget, we bring the girl with us that pampering and relaxation become a family affair. We're very clingy like that.

We are loyal to one spa for more than two years now but we also try the new ones when we feel adventurous. Or when we haven't booked early, hehe. So we feel happy we were given a chance to try the services at Ruby Spa. I also invited my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, her husband and her kids. Well, it wasn't relaxing to have three kids with us but we had fun albeit their kakulitan, haha!

Father's Day Videos

I like that with the advent of social media, Facebook most especially, we can celebrate Fathers' Day with touching videos. Alam mo na, palagi na lang tayong mga mommies ang mas special, mas magaling, mas busy at mas commendable in the parenting department. Here in our humble kingdom, though, it's my husband who gets the royal treatment from our daughter. Eh kasi minsan lang silang magkita. So habang ako ang default niyang basurahan, cook, fashion consultant at entertainer, it is her father who rules her world. Minsan nagseselos ako, hehe. But ang totoo niyan, natutuwa ako because I strongly believe that a girl who has a good relationship with her father will be an amazing woman when she grows up! Kaya ngayon na malapit na ang Fathers' Day, marami na tayong makikitang videos on Facebook that show what real good fatherhood is.

Here are some of what I've watched with my girl.

Moved Up, Moved Out

My girl will be starting her 2nd grade in another school this month. In my That Terrifying Mommy Moment post, I shared the security issue of her past school that sealed my and R's decision to move her out from there.

As for the core reason why, here's the gist. 

Some time in November, Sophia came home with a marken pen stain on her PE shirt's left side. She said a boy classmate stabbed it on her when she got the pen holder from him. According to the teacher and my girl, it was time to pack it away but since the boy was still using the pens, he stabbed the one he was holding to her chest that left a blue stain. I managed to removed the stain with my laundry skillzzz but you know, I think I will never forget the pain it caused me. The incident blew up into something worse when I posted the photo in my personal Facebook account. I didn't know who told the principal about it but I was friends with some of the teachers then so maybe they told her. When the principal called me for a meeting, I thought that she was about to secure me that my daughter is safe in her school or that she has talked to the parents of the boy and that they were willing to apologize in the boy's behalf and all. I was wrong. In the middle of our emotional conversation, I felt like a kid reprimanded by my mom for posting something hideous on my Facebook account. Yes, I know it was wrong to put it out there but for me, she could have not delve on that because that was not the issue. 

Nicandro

Living near the foodie capital of this city surely has perks. It was one tiring day after our weekend errand for Bebeng's Kitchen when we had dinner at Nicandro Lutong Bahay in Lilac Street. There are many restaurants in the area that we still have to try but it was one of those days that we were craving for, well, lutong bahay.

Then I remembered that I saw my cousin's post on Facebook that they ate there. I asked him if food's good and he said the kare-kare is a must-try.