Adding Romance to Your Life

Searching for a romantic relationship can be overwhelming, but it can also be a fun adventure. Spending time with a partner can be a great way to enjoy spare time and vacations. Here are some options for finding a partner who shares similar interests.

Explore Local Options

If you enjoy spending time at a local coffee shop or restaurant, then you may want to look around for a bit of romance while you are there. Many people have found love while sitting at a small café or other eatery. Take friends along to listen to a local band, and you may end up with a new relationship. Trivia nights can also be popular meeting places. Consider brushing up on your trivia skills and checking out a local event. Other local gatherings may also be ideal for meeting potential romantic partners.

Search Online Sites

You may want to also consider online dating sites. There are plenty of dating sites that can help you meet people who live in your area. If you agree to meet someone, then you may want to set the meeting up as a double date with a couple of friends. This can help relieve the pressure of meeting someone new. Try to keep a couple of conversation topics in mind. Keeping conversation flowing can help you avoid awkward silences, and your date will appreciate any interest that you display in the discussion. Before you meet someone, you may want to have a few conversations on the phone. Chatting before meeting can make you both feel more comfortable.

Have Fun

It is important to enjoy the experience of looking for love. You should use this opportunity to try new hobbies and visit new places. You can also use assistance, such as a free love tarot reading, to help you find the love you are looking for. Stay optimistic as you search for a soulmate.

Once you meet a potential love interest, then you should use this opportunity to determine what you are looking for. Meeting new people can help you figure out what you are seeking in a relationship, and this can help you find your perfect match.

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Family Activities That Builds Stronger Connection

In this busy world, it's easy to lose touch with those that mean the most to us if we don't make the time and effort to connect on an ongoing basis. Often, children get busy with school and friends, and working parents are often tired and up to their ears in things that need to get done. Family bonding is often pushed to the back of the schedule by seemingly more pressing needs. However, one thing we must realize is that the interpersonal needs of the family should trump every other need, and although we can't stop the world to meet those needs, we should at least schedule them in on a consistent basis.

Daily Opportunities to Reconnect

There are many things that families can do to share periods of bonding, even on a daily basis. Meal times can present themselves as excellent opportunities to touch base with family member's and discuss everyone's day and any other issues or events that need to be discussed. Dinner time can be conducted in any manner that best suits a family as long as everyone is present. The most important factor is the togetherness paired with communication.

Planned Family Activities

Bonding can really be solidified when family events are planned for the sole purpose of bonding and enjoying each other's company. A family that takes the time to plan frequent special activities for the main purpose of connecting with each other is creating a lifetime of memories that will strengthen their connection, making it easier for the family to weather any storms that come their way.

Spiritual Bonding

Many families are able to further enhance their bonding through their faith. Going to church together and discussing spiritual principals are other ways that families solidify their bond. Families often have spiritual leaders that they listen to or follow like david e taylor. This activity usually draws families closer together on a spiritual level.

Family bonding is extremely important and must be a priority in any family if a close connection is desired. Taking advantage of opportunities to connect on a daily basis and through planned family activities allows a family to grow closer and build a stronger connection.

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Bonding By The Beach

Our house is a few minutes tricycle ride from Davao Gulf so every time that we feel like smelling fresh air we just go there mostly during late afternoon. Macky is such a beach bum and it made him very happy every time we went there. He would practice his back  diving stunts in the water and would eagerly demonstrate  his swimming skill as if there is.LOL! (Peace my dear!)  It was a cool beautiful afternoon and the water was so inviting  that is why I was also  encouraged to swim although I initially plan not to.

Macky trying his bad boy look!

His complaining because I was trying to ride on his back. LOL!

Swimming is an activity our family loves doing aside from eating. Davao Gulf is just nearby and you can swim anytime you like for free. I always grab the chance to bond with my family especially with Macky now that I am still here and Macky is still a kid because I want to store good and happy memories with him in his childhood.

Originally published last Nov 5, 2011.

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The Weird Pomelo Tree

Our neighbor who owns a Water Apple Tree (Tambis in Bisaya) and he gave us some of its harvest. I believe that he gave a lot that we can’t consume it even for several days. Macky and the rest of the people in the house had a bonding session eating a whole bunch of “tambis” but when they can eat all of them, Macky and Tita Dindin started putting it on the Pomelo Tree in my mom’s garden.

With Bella giving them an idea, together, they stick the tambis to pomelo tree’s thorns. 

 

 They were so amazed of how it looked like because it looks real but really really weird especially if you know that it was a Pomelo Tree. Lots of people from the neighborhood went inside our place to take a look at the weird Pomelo tree.

Originally published last 11/23/1013.

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Playing Good Music Together

Macky’s father is already home for good. His plans of working to Europe were not materialized. The decision was not his to make but he was somehow thankful for what happened because he now spend time with his son whom he has not seen for almost two years.

Now that they are both here, part of their bonding time is playing good music together aside from doing the masculine stuff like motorcycle riding and carpentry. My brother was never interested in learning to play any musical instruments but he loves listening to his favorite band playing their songs using gator instruments. Macky’s interest in music started when he was still a little boy but he only get the chance to play guitar during his vacation in our province last year.

I hope that the bond of the Father and Son will grow into something productive and beneficial for both of them. Rock on Father and Son!

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A Vacation Well- Spent

Macky had a week’s break from school. Aside from his usual computer and basketball activities, he gets to spend a great time with his Uncles who are visiting from Manila. They would go to the beach all by themselves or sometimes just watch movies on DVD at home.

His uncles did not get to visit a lot of tourist spots in the city since their time and so their resources were limited although they had dinner in an eat-all-you-can buffet  restaurant and also visited the City’s People’s Park.

Macky was so excited to do things with his uncles especially when he came home from school. Now that they are back in Manila, they cherish every memory they had through the photos taken during his Uncles' vacation.

It may be just a short time, but the break from school was definitely as vacation well-spent for our Kuya Macky.

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A Great Summer Activity for the Family

People nowadays seem so occupied with a lot of things that they sometimes forget to spend quality time with their families. Most of the time, they are with the company of their colleagues, friends and even spend a lot of their time with their gadgets thus wasting precious opportunities to foster better relationships with siblings and parents.

Spending quality time with loved ones plays an integral role in keeping a stronger family ties. There are various fun and worthwhile activities that you can do to keep your family united especially this summer and one of these is swimming. It is one of the most-liked family activities because it is not just enjoyable for kids but it is also healthy for everyone. It improves your endurance and cardiovascular fitness especially for the parents.

When you go swimming with your family, make sure to prepare scrumptious but nutritious food that the whole family will enjoy. You can prepare fresh colourful fruits and vegetables, fruit juices, sports drinks and a lot of water. If you are a mom, and you are having a hard time choosing what to wear on swimming parties, you can visit online shopping sites or brick-and-mortar stores to look for Speedo womens swimwear. This brand sells a wide array of swimwear for all ages and it is famous for its comfort and durability so it is worth every penny.

Swimming is a great summer activity for the family and also a good way to chill out and strengthen the family’s connection so find time to hit the beach or the pool and create wonderful memories with your kids and relatives.

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How to Build a Go-Kart for Your Kids

Building a go-kart for your kids gives you quality time to spend together as a family. Not only will you be providing them with a fun, thrilling speed machine that they can drive around on their own, but by allowing them to help with the project, they will feel as though they were truly a part of something special. Building a go-kart can take anywhere from a day to a few weeks, depending on the features that you are installing, overall look of the go-kart that you are going for and your knowledge of construction, building and mechanics. These steps will have your kids cruising down the road in no time.

Gathering Materials

Before you can start building a go-kart for your kids, you must first gather the necessary materials that will be needed. To build your run of the mill go-kart, you will need a welder, petrol tank, brake pedal, throttle, seat, drive shaft, bearings, steering shaft, steering wheel, engine, seat, four wheels, bolts, washers, plywood, metal, square tubing, a thick steel plate and a round steel barstock. Many of these materials can be found at your local hardware store or can be purchased online with ease. Some retailers may also sell go-kart kits that come ready with everything that you need to build the vehicle plus step-by-step instructions.

Metal and Tubing Cutting

Create a design for the go-kart that you are building or obtain a pre-made plan online. You will then need to cut your metal tubing according to the design plan and carefully weld it all together. A small welder can be used to achieve good results. If you are not familiar with welding, consider hiring a professional for this stage. A range of companies that offer metal fabrication in Brisbane can be found with a quick Google Search.

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Family Dinner at Buffet Palace on His 13th Birthday

Since I have convinced Macky to have a family dinner instead of having a pool party on this 13th birthday, everyone in the house prepared early for dinner that night. We are supposed to go downtown using Bren's car but since he will go out late from work, we just decided to take the taxi instead to be able to arrived in the restaurant in time for dinner.

I first thought of having a dinner in the nearest mall which is the SM City but changed my mind when I learned that Victoria Plaza will be having a midnight sale. I am very excited with the thought of shopping with the rest of the family after dinner so I told everyone that we will have our eat-all-you-can dinner at Buffet Palace inside Victoria Plaza compound.

We arrived at Buffet Palace just in time for dinner. The restaurant offers a complete selection of main courses from soup, fish, vegetable, chicken, beef and pork dishes. Also included in the menu table are the ingredients for fish kinilaw which Papa enjoyed so much. Aside from the wide selection of mini-cakes for dessert, there were mango float, macaroni salad and the complete ingredients for halo-halo and many others which I failed to remember. Sorry, I am not a sweet tooth eh :(

With the kind of food to choose from, everyone of us really had a great time at our family dinner at Buffet Palace. Kuya Macky had a second trip to the buffet table for additional viands and a third round of mango float plus a bowl of halo-halo for dessert not to mention a plate full of pork chicharon. LOL.

The little girl is becoming a photography aficionado who loves taking pictures of people and things and of course demanded that I take her photo with Kuya Macky too. She actually consumed a handful of pancit guisado, a bowl of soup, few slices of  soy chicken and fried pork chop and a cute bowl of halo-halo Tito Dong made for her :) And mind you, she is free of charge since she is just two years old.

And while Papa is paying the bill and just before I finish eating, Macky asked for the camera and took photo of himself inside the men's restroom. LOL

As planned, we immediately headed to Victoria Plaza to do the midnight shopping after the dinner. I bought Bella few pairs of dresses and nothing for myself, as always. Macky got himself a new polo shirt to be used in their Christmas Party, a new cellular phone as a birthday gift, a Bench hair gel and cologne.

It was a tiring night but it was very fun and fulfilling because it seldom happens that the whole family eat out in the restaurant. Thanks to my brother for the budget and for always keeping Macky's birthday and happiness in mind. 

Happy 13th birthday Kuya Macky! I hope you'll feel blessed now and for always! We love you very much.

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Macky Is On Vacation at General Santos City

Aside from the summer break, one of the most anticipated vacation from school is the semestral break which is usually scheduled during All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Macky usually spends semestral  breaks here at home playing basketball or hanging out with his neighbor friends but this time, he opted to spend it with his mom at General Santos City.

He was so excited about the idea of spending his break with his mom and cousins in Gensan that is why he initiated to coordinate with his grandmother first without letting his father know about it. Macky's father did not approve the idea of the GenSan vacation but since his grandmother is already on her way to fetch Macky the day he asked permission, my brother did not have any choice but to allow Macky to go with his grandma.

Macky chillin' with his mom...

Despite his parent's situation, Macky is trying to live a normal life and as a good son to them.  At his age, he understood the kind of life they have as family and although, he may not approve it, he have already learned to accept  the fact that they have to live separately. He still dreams of reuniting his parents in the future but he knows that it will happen in God's perfect time.

I haven't heard from Macky since the day he went for vacation last week and as much as possible, I also do not want to bother him. The house is quiet without him and we missed him already. We are so excited to see him again a few days from now. I know he has a lot of exciting stories to tell about his vacation and the grand time he spent with his mom and his cousins.

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Home for Father's Day

Macky was so happy being reunited with his father after more than a year. My brother is here for a month long vacation from his work abroad. We celebrated his homecoming by preparing the food he requested to eat upon his arrival. We really wanted to have a grand celebration but our budget won't allow us so we just settle for a simple blowout for him. :-) He requested to have sinigang, sinuglaw (sinugbang baboy at kinilaw na isda) and grilled fish which my father willingly prepared.

His vacation is also in time for the Father's Day celebration although we do not have a plan on what to do to observe father's day but it is still a happy day thinking that Macky will be able to see and greet his father  personally on this special occasion. 

 

Happy Father's Day to you Papa Rollie, Daddy Nonoy, Papang Cycy and Tatay Bren. Thank you very much to all of you for taking care of our family. May the Lord continue to bless you and give you more strength to endure life's challenges. We love you all! :-)

Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads all over the world! :-)

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Back to Basics: Practical Ways to Bond with Family

A boat needs its sail to safely traverse to the open sea. Though the wind and waves can move the boat, the sail will be the one to give the boat support and direction. If the boat loses its sail, it will eventually lose balance, turn upside down, and slowly sink to nothingness.

We are the boats while our families are the sails. Without their love and guidance, we can easily end up like a wrecked boat at the bottom of the water. And it can be a possibility, especially if we lose the time to communicate because of a busy schedule or proximity issues. 

In case you’re one of them, here are practical ways to maximize the quality time with your family even if it’s just on a weekend. 

• Organize backyard parties with family and close relatives. Let’s face it, gathering the whole family and close relatives for a day of lunch at home is quite a task. But if you’re really determined to embark on a new kin tradition, start the ball rolling by hosting a couple of lunch or dinner meal starring your signature lasagna or chicken roll.

• Hold movie nights. It’s time to turn your living room into a mini theater. Though you don’t have to be equipped with the latest entertainment gadgets to enjoy this. A simple DVD player, decent TV set, and family’s choice of flick will be enough to have a great time. 

• Schedule monthly out-of-town tours. It may sound expensive but encouraging each member of the family to take part in saving for your trip expenses will be pleasurable to participate in. If in case monthly contributions fall a bit short, strolling in the mall isn’t a bad idea after all.      

•  Learn a new dish and cook it for your family. Show your family you love them by preparing different dishes that will surely take them to a satisfying cultural feast. Introduce them to flavorful cuisines that range from Mexican burritos to Singaporean Laksa.    

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Macky's Summer Delight

We cannot hide away from the summer heat because it is already here. So aside from his occasional trip to the nearby beach Macky also requested an Ice Cream to beat the summer heat. I know it is not too much to ask so I bought Macky and the rest of us this delicious not so expensive Ice Cream from Nestle.

Macky and Bella were so happy to see what I bought for them. You know, the little girl loves to eat ice cream too...

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One Cool Day

Macky didn't have much activities during our CDO vacation because he went  home with my parents  a day after Yoshi's birthday celebration. Aside from playing with Yoshi, Bella and Tep, he spent most of his time playing on the internet and just chillin' in the sofa trying to keep cool from everything around him.

striking a pose while resting from online games...

He still enjoys his vacation although it was a bit short. He was so happy because aside from his first airplane ride experience he was given an opportunity to spend longer time with the family especially with Bella and Yoshi.

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First Airplane Ride

Most people have simple yet unforgettable first experiences in life  just like Macky. In his 11 years of existence, he considered his first airplane ride during our Cagayan de Oro trip as one of his unforgettable first experiences. He originally do not want  to come with us  because he don't want to be absent from school but since nobody will be left to take care of his needs so he decided to come  provided that we go by plane. Sounds demanding! Lol!

Inside the airport with  his grandparents whom he called Mommy and Daddy...

Striking a pose  inside the airplane...

This trip was not just Macky's first airplane experience but of  my parents too. People like my parents are very hesitant about traveling by plane because they thought that the fare are way too expensive compared with  the  buses or ships. Since this is a sponsored trip and the ticket are already booked before they knew about it so the only choice left for them is to take it. Lol!

All in all, their first airplane ride was very memorable and since Davao to Cagayan de Oro is just a 35-minute airplane ride, they felt like they haven't had enough of it. The trip although short was  pleasant and the waiting moment at the airport serves as our family bonding time.

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Playtime with Yoshi

Macky is the eldest grandson and  nephew in the family followed by Yoshi then Bella. If you have been following my blogs, you will know that we were in  Cagayan de Oro to attend Yoshi's 2nd birthday  last November. It has been a while since Macky and Yoshi saw each other and it made both of them very happy to finally meet again during our vacation.

from sun up...

to sun down...

As you can see, they are almost inseparable. Yoshi wants to be carried and cuddled by Kuya Macky most of the time. And we are also very happy to note that Macky is really trying his best to be a responsible Kuya to both Bella and Yoshi.

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Christmas Memory: At The Christmas Tree

I know Macky misses his parents this Christmas and I am pretty sure that his parents missed him too. Our family has a lot of good memories during Christmas although we always celebrate every Christmas with simplicity. We believe that Christmas is perfect as long as all family members are together and in good health. 

We still consider Christmas for the family  this year to be a blessed one even if we are not complete. We have a lot of good reasons to celebrate and to be happy thinking what happened to some of our friends  and countrymen in Cagayan de Oro.

One good thing that Macky likes about Christmas is the Christmas Tree. Whenever we go somewhere and sees a beautiful Christmas Tree, we would pause for a while and get a shot of it  or sometimes  even took pictures with it. 

Mommy and Daddy @ our simple Christmas Tree

With Papa Rollie celebrating Christmas last 2010...

with Yoshi @ Samulco - Puan

We pray that every Filipino especially those who are affected by Typhoon Sendong will still have a Merry Christmas this year. Everything happens for a reason even if sometimes we can't understand it. Let's just be firm with our faith and trust that the Lord has bigger and better plans for all of us. 

Macky is sending his love to his Papa Rollie this Christmas. Take good care of yourself Papa and we love you and praying for your safety always.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you.

Thank you Sis Krizza for the First Comment...

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Bonding Time with the Doting Aunt

I can still recall  how excited and happy I was upon knowing that I will be an Aunt. It was such a brand new feeling for me since Macky is my first nephew. The first time I saw him  was when he was about two years old already because they were living  in Manila before  and I am already working here in Davao. 

His parents finally decided to stay in his  mother's hometown in General Santos for good. The place is quite far from where I am working so  I can only get the chance  see him during family occasions. But there were times that when  I really  miss him and  feel like   seeing  him, the four-hour bus ride is just so light and easy. You know, I am a doting Aunt and I would do anything for our little Macky.

photo taken sometime in  April 2006   in GenSan

When I visit him I made sure that I have some extra bucks to spend for our bonding time. You know bonding time with kids  involves eating at Jolibee or McDonalds, buying new toys and clothes and of course some  few extras for them  to buy something from the nearby sari-sari store and also "baon" for the next few days. Macky likes buying from the neighbor's sari-sari store even if they have their own store. lol.. Such a spendthrift!

I am  thankful that Macky is now living with us. I know no one can replace his mom in his heart but as an Aunt I am really trying my best to bring him up to be a person of worth and value; pleasing in the eyes of God and of man.

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