Day 1 - Trining Bacsa

1. Day 1 - Kuya Enan, 2. Day 1 - Lunch @ Trining Bacsa, 3. Day 1 - Lunch @ Trining Bacsa, 4. Day 1 - Boarding

We met Kuya Enan at Trining Bacsa, our tour guide. I paid our dues and he left to do his errands. While we wait for him, we ate our lunch. Our filling lunch cost us only P360, we loved the fish! Even if it's carinderia, no fancy outdoor furniture around, the viands are homey and still served hot, service is quick. They didn't mind us staying longer, tumambay muna as we wait for Kuya Enan. Dad tagged along as I and my mom bought some chichiria and snacks we might need for the trip. Although food is already included in our package, mahirap maghanap ng mangangata sa kalagitnaan ng dagat harhar.

Kuya Enan came back with two tricycles as we head down to the pier. Past 1pm, we're on our boat eager to start the tour already.

D1 - Coron, Palawan: Getting There

1. Day 1 - Waiting, 2. Day 1 - Beans, 3. Day 1 - Bus Ride, 4. Day 1 - Who's excited?, 5. Day 1 - Photography 101, 6. Day 1 - Over and Above, 7. Day 1 - To coron, 8. Day 1 - Busuanga Airport

Around 6am, kers and jo arrived at our house. Bags packed and ready to go, with dani in tow, hubby drove us to NAIA Terminal 3 where half of the group is waiting for us. Dani cried when she realized she's not going with me. I didn't look back and proceeded to meet my parents. Imagine I look like someone with mesothelioma as I was sleep deprived yet again and hungry as we waited for boarding time. Buti na lang I bought hot milk tea in a small thermos with me. We left Manila by 9am and promptly arrived at Busuanga airport an hour after. Even before lift off, Jayjay was already texting me and true enough his van is waiting for us when we arrived.

Still Dreamy

Still Dreamy
Originally uploaded by kitakitts

Just got back from paradise. Will upload the rest real soon after I spend some quality time with my family :D

Birthday Kwento: Gifts of Love

Gifts
Originally uploaded by kitakitts

Towards the afternoon, the little girl was tired and cranky already. We were planning to swim even after the party but Dani fell asleep naman. She slept until we're home. She had her beauty sleep until 6pm and then started opening her gifts. Took us until the next day to open them all :D Most of the stuffed toys were re-packed together with the other stuffed toys she've accumulated over the years. She doesn't play with them much kasi solve na sya kay Pup.

It's only but natural for the little girl to pick one or two favorites from her gifts. The pink raincoat gets first place as she insists on wearing it even if it's not raining.

Birthday Kwento: Almost over

Almost over
Originally uploaded by kitakitts

J, Dani's friend, was persistently tailing Teacher Hazel and kept asking her when will the party resume. Teacher gave in and all the kids were back in the pool by 1pm. They had a couple of more games and 30 mins of free swim before washing up.

Teacher did a Trivia game since there are several prizes left. Lootbags were distributed, bills were paid and in between guests bid their goodbyes. We never did get a chance to give our well-rehearsed thank you speech but why spoil the party. Despite the weird weather, everyone seemed happy and that's good enough for us.

Birthday Kwento: Blow the Candle

Blow the Candle
Originally uploaded by kitakitts

Alas, grey clouds could no longer hold the rain. We had a heavy downpour around noon time, perfect chance for a break. Children gathered around the cake, sang the birthday song and we blew the candle.

I let the kids have cupcakes immediately after and people queued for lunch. We had jollibee chicken and spaghetti meal for kids and buffet lunch for adults.

Since we have balikbayans over, we have wowowee for entertainment. I think I underestimated the guest count and had to add more tables and chairs. There wasn't enough food for second helping, I told ate glen to buy buckets of chickenjoy however many P1k can afford. Later, she came back with 4.

Birthday Kwento: Pool Party Starts

Do's and Dont's
Originally uploaded by kitakitts

party officially started 15mins before 11am, though invites indicated we start at 10. i missed watching most of the games kaka-chika. i'm really torn between entertaining some of the adult guests or jumping in the water with my daughter. i wish i did the latter but what kind of host will that make me :p

We were supposed to have 3 dry games, lunch and 5 wet games. Since most of the kids are in the pool already, Teacher Hazel suggested they conduct all wet games instead.

this is the part where I lose details of the party. All I have are pics and snippets from parents. Amidst chitchat, my eyes will wander by the pool area and check on dani. I know she’s having a blast and the teachers are making sure the kids are safe. I wish I asked about the PA system if it can be brought outside pero hindi pala pwede. Teacher Hazel made do with her loud voice competing with the sound of passing airplanes.

Birthday Kwento: Setting Up

Bisor
Originally uploaded by kitakitts

arrived by 830, caterer's almost setup. met arnold, our head waiter. he said he had to move the buffet table as cypress' in-charge staff ordered him to do so kasi dun daw sila palagi nagse-setup ng buffet table sa previous events. moved two tables from the aircon area to alfresco area. moved the cake table twice. from the aircon to center of alfresco to the right side fronting BLSS tarp (yey buti na lang, forgot they have one!) their team of six (4 teachers + host + 2 assistant/runner) clocked in by 930 as promised. still busy with the balloon decors. did not push through with the balloon centerpiece and settled for BP's so we just focused on the ceiling in the alfresco area. Bawal din kasi magdikit sa walls.

We had to rent additional tables for the lootbags and prizes and arranged them properly :D

I was relieved to see my inlaws and my family, full force na kami! Guests started pouring in and I still hadn't change, amoy balloons, sweat and all, I made beso-beso with a disclaimer, "naku, malagkit ako!"

Birthday Kwento: Part I - Before the Party

Dani Turns ThreeOriginally uploaded by kitakitts

5.29
no tarp
went to hubby's office blessing. finished the tarp before we left the house, burned it to cd for printing. no such luck in moa, 3days waiting period.

last minute grocery, bought snacks and giveaways for infants (microfibre towels) from hypermart

no kiddie chairs :(

went to look at my contract with the caterer to re-check balance only then did i realize i've no kiddie chairs. was supposed to get the chairs with another supplier but didn't push thru with the carts and totally forgot to get the chairs from the caterer instead.

cupcakes from CakeAvenue

tita lon kind-heartedly sponsored dani's cupcakes from CakeAvenue. she was kind of stressed looking for sprinkles, the staff forgot to put some and they only checked the cupcakes when they got home already. Salamat sa candy sprinkles that goes with Selecta ice cream inside their fridge, problem solved!

printed thank you tags
printed cupcake toppers
printed trivia sheets
printed color-tagged prize claim stubs
printed cutout letters for dani's banner
printed programme and budget sheet

5.30

sleepless in cavite

turning off our light fixtures wouldn't do me any good. packed my stuffs and prepared by 6 and left the house by 7, minutes after leaving the house i realized i left my last minute printouts (blech!) and my swim shorts :p just texted sis to bring one for me. didn't go back as hubby's trying to get ahead of the anticipated build up in slex. concerned at the drizzle encountered on the way. pepper of BLSS assured me, what's good about a pool party is that they'll get anyway :D so i just prayed for no thunderstorm instead.

Dani Turns Three

Dani Turns Three
Originally uploaded by kitakitts

If you can't wait for my kwento, head on to my flickr and you'll catch a glimpse on what went on that day :D