Rhian's Pizza Bash

             Time flies fast. My daughter is now 6 years old, one more year we will celebrate her 7th birthday. 

                Before she was born, me and my husband already agreed to give her a party for her 1st birthday, 7th birthday and and her 18th birthday. We always wanted her to perceive life in a very simple way. At a very young age, she is very particular with how she spends her allowance, she always saves for her good plans and endeavors.  She never asked for expensive toys. Simplicity and love is her happiness. My daughter is a child who enjoys simple pleasures with grand dreams. 

               There are moments when she speaks to us about her plans in the future. Her dreams to be successful in her endeavor is fueled by her faith in God and love for family. Sometimes she expresses difficulty in some of the challenges that she encounters, as parents we try to be  supportive without going over board.

                For her 6th birthday, we agreed to assist her organize a small party with newly found friends, both in school and in our home.   

School Party

             To make it convenient for the kids and to make sure Rhian's birthday blowout will not make any mess, we decided to order from Jollibee some Chicken Spaghetti Meal. Initially, we planned to get some pizza for the school party, but we decided to change it to make sure all kids would love the food. 

             For dessert, we decided to buy Caramel Bars from Max Restaurant. Most of the kids like it as well, but it was not really a big hit. I guess if it is a kids party, Jollibee would always be the safest choice. 

               For the drinks, we decided to buy some Minute Maid orange juice drink instead of soda. We thought it would be better for the kids to have something healthy . 

                Rhian's classmates were very nice and well-behaved. They were all very adorable.

Rhian's classmates and Teacher Diane:)

Pizza with Rhian's Neighborhood Friends

The Preparation

            We initially wanted to just eat out for Rhian's birthday or maybe go on vacation. Rhian said she would be okay to just stroll around for the long weekend. Days before her birthday, we changed our mind, so Rhian decided to organize a last minute Pizza Party with her friends at home. 

             With just a few creative ideas, Rhian started to make some decorations for her pizza party. Just like all activities that we have at home, we always make it as a learning opportunity for her.

The Party

The clubhouse in our place is not yet completed, so we decided to just held the small party inside our unit. Usually Rhian and her neighborhood friends play in the afternoon, so we decided to have the party around 4:00 PM. It was simple, it was like the usual afternoon playtime with friends, the only difference is that there are some food to munch into while they play.

                                                                 Rhian's Pizza Party!

Food and Friends

Friends and Food 

Food and Games

The Details

The Theme: Pizza! Pizza!

      Pizza is Rhian's comfort food. She always eat it with her cousin Ate Lulu.Most of the time when we go out together with Kuya Benjie, Ate Vi and cousins, we always eat together at a pizza place. 

The Invitation

         I forgot to take some pictures of the hard copy of the invitation that we gave out, so what I have below are the templates. Rhian and I made it together with the help of Microsoft Paint :)

Invitation Template and Giveaway Printout

The Menu

     We just had the basic birthday party menu. Spaghetti, Pancit, Broiled Chicken, Baked Macaroni, Hotdogs and of course Pizza.

The Decorations 

         It is hard to find cohesive decorations for a pizza party, so we decided to do some on our own. It was also a good time for Rhian to exercise her creativity and planning skills. 

Birthday Tarp

        We made the birthday tarp from 5 coupon bonds, we made a layout via Microsoft Word then we attached the printed templates. It was as easy as pie.

Utensils

     We used blue and red plastic plates to hold the paper plates. It is simple and convenient, no need to worry about the dishes after the party.

      We just bought some plastic spoon and forks with multiple colors. To make the presentation cohesive with the theme we placed the spoon and fork inside decorated glasses. We just bought some fancy papers to cover the glasses.

Baderitas

         The idea came from google. We googled what are the kinds of decorations that can be used for a pizza party and we picked the easiest -- banderitas with red, yellow, green and white colors. It is an easy and fun thing to do for a 5 year old kid who is turning 6. :)

Party Hats

          We also made customized party hats that resembles a chef's hat. The paper that we bought is not as sturdy as expected but when the hat was worn the expected result was delivered. We forgot though to distribute it to the kids before the party. Oh well, the fun is still there though :)

Placemats

         We also made customized placemats. It was completed without a hassle. With decorative paper and double sided tape, it was done in 15 minutes. We would be using it to adorned the table for added effect.

Table Set Up

          On the day of the celebration, this is how the birthday table looked like. Simple and chic for my daughter's neighborhood friends. 

Food

     Raffy's turbo broiled chicken is our favorite, so instead of ordering some lechon manok we just decided to broil some at home.

Drinks

       Softdrinks goes well with pizza so we bought some and labeled it with to match the party theme.

Pizza

        We just made a call and the pizza is delivered right at our doorstep. Hot and fresh.

Chicken

                                                           Broiled chicken ala Rafael

Pasta and Pancit

        We also ordered some spaghetti from Amber. We decided to order instead of cooking it to avoid getting messed up before the party. What we did is to add to it our home cooked Baked Macaroni and of course Pancit.

Hotdogs

          It is the kids favorite. It is definitely a must in any children's party. :)

Cake

         We decided to go for the  Choco Velvet Oreo Cake from Goldilocks. Red Ribbon cake was also brought by Rhian's cousin Kuya Ogie. 

Games

         We just prepared a few games that Rhian and her friends can play, in case they get bored. Playing after the party will definitely be a random activity, since they always spend the time playing in the afternoon. 

        After eating some pizza, they spent the entire afternoon doing their usual routine and also they played "Pass the Meatballs" -- but this time it is named "Pass the Plate".

Party Favors 

       We just made small party favors to say thank you to our kiddie guests. As planned, it was just a small get together party, nothing grand. It was fun though :)

       Now that Rhian is growing up fast, her interest and her plans are also growing. With her new learnings and skills, she can now creatively create ideas for her own mini parties and soon I may just need to refer to an article in her very own blog. :)

Happy birthday Rhian, we love you so much! :)

Destination: Caramoran Bicol

     It took a while before I got inspired to write this article. For some reason I'm blindfolded in targeting the right mood to create a sensible narration. Maybe, what blocked my mind is the lack of cohesiveness in terms of my ideas and emotions. After a few days and with some interesting stories from my husband, the words came flowing on my mind -- and just like that, this article is done in just a few minutes.

     My other half asked for my permission to visit his hometown for the All Souls Day break. He wanted to visit his mother, whom he never had the chance to meet in his lifetime. His story is heartbreaking, months after he was born, his mom passed away. Even with the absence of a mother's care and presence, he grew up as a good man.

     It is truly amazing how such event can transform someone into something ideal. Without a mother by his side, he turn out to be a man geared towards respect for women. I am truly blessed to have been paired to someone like him. I think I owe the heavens for pairing us. I am truly glad to have sought devine intervention before marrying him. As a reflection, I think a mother's love and care is eternal, his mother with the Almighty One, may have been watching and guiding him from the heavens above as he take his steps in facing life here on earth. Thus, when my husband asked my permission to visit his mother's grave in Catanduanes, my heart can never say no.  

The Travel

     My husband and his nephew hitched with his elder brother's family for the trip.  The brand new car bought by his brother needs to be tested for a long drive, thus the vacation to Brgy. Maui, Caramoran, Catanduanes commenced.

       Travel time is about 24 hours. To ensure time is efficiently managed, they need it to  make it to Tobaco Port right on schedule to avoid long waiting time. They started to travel 5:00 PM and by morning the next day, they are on the Ferry Boat to San Andres Port. After that, another 2 driving hours is needed to get to Maui, Caramoran. 

       The picture below reminds me of  the scenery to Pagudpud, Ilocos the only difference is that the road to Pagudpud is well-developed. This road however, is still under construction.  

       The mountain ranges remains to be untouched. The roads may still be under development, but it is also a good thing that the remoteness of the place contributed to the preservation of the verdant mountain ranges. 

       

Maui, Caramoran

       Caramoran is different from the more popular destination Caramoan. Below is a screenshot from google map for this place.

     Maui is a coastal barangay of Caramoran with bountiful vegetation and unexplored natural resources. Untapped potential products are being cultivated and used by the locals. It is amazing how rich are the coastal resource in the area as well as exotic products that can only be harvested from the wild. To know know more about the gastronomic stuff in Bicol, I have a parallel article (Treats from the South: Bicol) that focuses on some of the products from Maui.

The Coastal Scenery of Maui

       Hours after arriving at Maui, the calm water and serene breeze from the sea is so inviting, they immediately took a dip. Unlike other developed beaches, the place is secluded and untouched. The beach area is composed of rocks instead of white or gray sands, but the coast is rich in aquatic vegetation and resources. It will be highly enjoyed by those who love to get in touched with the life underneath the sea. 

        Aside from the rich aquatic resources, there are also gigantic rocks with some small caves for spelunking. The place is so remote, you can easily escape from all the stress and busy schedule of the metro. It is a place to rejuvenate and recharge, all you need to bring is a sunblock lotion to make sure you can prevent your skin from getting too tanned. In the event you forgot to bring one, getting burned under the sun is a little price to pay, if you are to experience awesome happiness. 

                      

                            

                          

        Just like any other coastal area in the Philippines, a banca is a must. It is usually acquired by the locals to make use of the richness of the sea for livelihood. It is also a mode of transportation to other islands. 

        

        The coast in Maui is also a playground for the young. Without any formal training in swimming kids as young as two years old can already swim.          

                            

                           

                            

                            

                            

By the shore

        Spending a day by the beach is one of the things to enjoy in Maui. It may not have the fine white sands and modern beach activities, but it is charmed with the breezy and calm coastline that can definitely induced a good time for relaxation and reflection. Not to mention the exquisite swimming escapade with the rich underwater scenery. 

Picnic: The local way

        With not much to do in Maui, a picnic by the beach is one of the must do in the itinerary. With all the woods lying by the beach, creating a fire to broil some of the fresh catch is as easy as pie. 

        Local delicacies like Surahan and Sahang can just be caught near the shoreline. With some rice and some seaweeds a hearty lunch can be prepared without any hassle. 

        With the abundance of banana trees, washing the dishes during a picnic by the beach is way out of your travel chores. Just cut a banana tree and the "silverware" are prepared in an instant. In this case, instead of calling it silverwares, will greenwares be more appropiate?

Seascape

        One of the things to enjoy in Maui is diving. Just a few meters away from the shoreline, different marine species can already be viewed. It is actually a good experience for those who wanted to experience a slice of the seascape.  

                         

 

A Visit to Mayon Volcano

          A visit to Bicol will not be complete without visiting the famous Mayon Volcano. It is one of the best way to seal the long travel time to Bicol. 

                              

                                         

                             

                             

A Thumbs up

        After a 4 day vacation my husband came home with new memories and souvenirs for me and Rhian.  As for me and Rhian, we are happy that he is able to complete his plans to visit his hometown.

Just like what the shirt says -- We love Bicol. :)