Our Family @ 2008 December

I would like to share to everybody our 2008 family Christmas Pictorial. This year, the pictures were taken at the 4th floor of the Podium Mall here in Ortigas Center. Enjoy the pictures. Happy Holidays to all...

Tatlong Krus @ Paete, Laguna

Paete, is a small town in Laguna known for its wood carvings. We visited Paete to buy Christmas presents for Nikki's teachers. We were planning to give them a wooden Crucifix hand curved by the Paeteans. We bought one of those when we went to Paete a few months back.

Mommy and Nikki even bought a complete set of the seven guardian angels to guard our home from any unwanted visitors.

After the shopping spree, we asked around town on how to get to the top of the Sierra Madre mountain where 3 white crosses stands. Pligrims flock to this shrine atop the mountain by foot during Holy Week. There were two ways to reach the crosses, the first is via San Antonio but only by foot and the other is via the town of Longos. It was a long and winding road to the top via Longos town. Although cemented, since it was not a regular route for motorized vehicles, only one lane of the two way road was passable due to tall and wild grasses. After 30 minutes of driving uphill, we finally reached our destination thanks to some local folks who had showed us the way. It was truly breath taking to see the 3 giant crosses right before our eyes. We could see the whole town of Paete below the view deck. James and John were very thrilled of the strong winds blowing in their faces.

After enjoying the view on top, we hurried up to go down since it was almost sunset. It would be difficult to maneuver those curves in the the dark. When we got back to the town we wanted to check on the light house. But to our disappointment, we could not reach the light house because the lake's water flooded the road. According to a local we had asked, during this time of year, the water of the lake rises and floods the whole reclamation area.

There are indeed hundreds of secrets one could discover in this small and quiet town of Paete.

Serendra @ Fort Bonifacio

Probably one of the coolest places the kids had enjoyed visiting. It's a heaven for photographers with the numerous interesting subjects around the place. It's also one of those places where the rich and famous shop and hang-out.



And because Christmas is near, there was a chorale group singing Christmas carols.



There was also a Lego land exhibit for a cause. For every 200 pesos donation, you get to help UNICEF in their efforts to help uplift the lives of poor Filipino children.





Nikki also built her own Lego mini Santa while James was very fascinated with the Lego Ferrari. A pose by Mommy, Nikki, James and John infront of the Lego Christmas tree makes you feel that Christmas is just around the corner.

Philippine Center for Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

November 22, 2008 - It was our first visit to the Philippine Center of St. Pio in Bagumbayan, Quzon City. Every 23rd of the month, a novena followed by a healing mass was heard in the chapel in honor of St. Pio. We were surprised that a very quiet and peacful place in the heart of the city still exist. There was even a special room for kids just to make the mass solemn and to avoid distracting other pilgims from the noise of the children. After the mass, there was a short sharing by the priest of the life of Padre Pio followed by the annointing of the the sick. Everybody lined-up to be blessed by the priest. There was even a sumptous meal prepared for everybody after the celebration.



At the back of the chapel was a statue of Padre Pio. You can write your petitions and prayers and ask for help.

Padre Pio was canonized by Pope John Paul II in Rome on June 16, 2002. A miracle happened five years after when his tomb was opened by an Archbishop from Vatican. Padre Pio's body was found incorrupt. Todate, thousands of pilgrims flock to San Giovanni Rotondo in Italy to say "thank you" for the prayers answered and to continue to pray for more help.

Araneta’s Giant Christmas Tree

After doing our regular grocery shopping at Shopwise, we stopped and posed in-front of the Giant Christmas Tree.

As part of the tradition that started since 1981, a Giant Christmas Tree in-front of the Araneta Coliseum now known as the Big Dome, signals the official start of the Christmas season. With a height of almost 100 feet and more than ten thousand lights adorned with colorful giant ribbons and Coke Smile baubles, anyone would surely notice the bright colorful tree. This is just one of the few reasons to smile and be merry in this season of love and hope. Merry Christmas.....