Getting back to the school routine and adjusting to new workloads takes some getting used to after a long summer break. Meeting new people or getting reacquainted with classmates can feel overwhelming.

Many stores here started to have back to school promo for their school supplies. In this time, people would really grab every opportunity to buy discounted stuff.

In any public school here, one requirements before your child will be enrolled (elementary or high school) is through school brigada (the mom or dad would contribute their time to help clean and prepare the school in time for the opening of classes). Private institution doesn’t require this campaign though.

Are you ready for school year 2012-2013?

This is the best time to give thanks or say thank you to our beautiful mothers for all the things they have done for us. Especially for taking care of us everyday.

All Mothers’ deserve to be loved and respected. Because being a Mother is really not an easy job.

To all the mommies around the world, HAPPY MOTHER”s DAY!

When we reached the City, we need to take tricycle in going to my Aunt’s place but since it’s just walking distance, we just walked. We happened to passed by at my former College School. I saw a lot of difference since 8 years ago. I wish that the new head will come up to improve the building and facilities to attract more students.

30 minutes after we arrived at my Aunt’s house, we suddenly experienced the brownout (if you noticed that some part of Mindanao are experiencing brownout daily). So we decided to roam around and took some pictures while on our way to the park. Darkness didn’t ruin our plan. We went to the hospital (where my Aunt was having her dialysis schedule). We visited my other cousin’s. It’s more than a year since we last saw each other.

On our second day, we proceed to what we had planned the night before; going for swimming to Lake Agco Mountain Resort. Lake Agco is located on the foot of Mt. Apo (the tallest mountain in the Philippines). Lake Agco is also the starting point for mountaineers who wishes to climb Mt. Apo. Among the popular attractions are the boiling sulfuric lake and the hot and cold springs. Take note, the water and electricity are free near Lake Agco, but you can’t buy land their just the rights only.

On our trip, my cousin volunteered as our driver  and a photographer (they actually own the car that we used and she’s the only one who knows how to drive so she actually doesn’t have a choice . It took us about 45 minutes drive. We stop at one place just to take pictures.

Upon our arrival, we bit disappointed because we can’t even get a cottage for ourselves (there were a lot of people spending their weekend). My cousin and I decided to get a room even it was good for two just to have a private place where we can put our stuff. The rate wasn’t that high. So we hurry up and ate our lunch.

Then after, my cousins went for swimming to the coldspring pool and hotspring pool. I thought the water that goes through to the hotspring pool was from the Lake itself, but I was wrong. I havent seen the lake yet. My cousins decided to bring us to the lake. We paid P10 each for an entrance. It was 50-100 meters away from the resort. As I saw the lake, I even touched the water to proved if it’s really hot, and yes it is! People are not allowed to swim there because of the high temperature of the water. I can’t even saw the full view of the lake because it was surrounded by ash.

The resort has one big cold spring pool about 4 to 5 feet deep and one for the children. I tried their hot spring for adult but I don’t know how deep it was. I just stayed to the kids hot spring pool. The hot spring smell something but that was the sulfur, actually. My cousin said it was relaxing to dip your body on the water. They said they had a hot Jacuzzi inside the cave near the entrance but we don’t tried it.

The resort wasn’t that strict like others. You are allowed to bring food. You don’t need to pay for corkage. You only pay for the entrance in the resort which is P25 each, and the cottage too (I don’t know how much). If you are planning to stay overnight, all you have to do is get a room. They had room for two for P500, for large families it depends. All I know they had like P3000 good for 10 to 12 persons.

At around 4PM, we headed home. Everybody’s sleepy. But before we reached home, we decided to stop by at Landmark. It is like park too. Aside from few animals, there were cottages for you to bring your loved one.

The swimming really felt our body tired as early evening we went to bed and woke up the next morning late. My Uncle decided to bring us to the farm to buy fruits that we can bring when we get home. As you all know, Kidapawan City is also well-known for it’s fruits aside from the Mt. Apo.

We went to Villarico farm in Manongol just to buy Mangoesteen (abundant fruits in Kidapawan, aside from Rambutan, Banana and Durian), but unluckily, the Mangoesteen tree has just starting to bear fruits. The caretaker said, maybe it will be ready in 2 months time.

All in all, we really had fun their specially in Agco because of the climate as well as no one disturbed us. There are no signal on our phone. Lake Agco Mountain Resort, is a good place for you to have your weekend get away from the crowded city.

Why Mums? Well of course it is because the name already says itself.

But if you would like to give it a classic twist, we also have Gerbera and Mums which includes Gerbera of course! Gerbera is a flower that is from the Sunflower family and native to South America and Tropical Asia.

I hope it helps you decide on what gift to send to your lovely Mother this coming Mothers Day.

When I was young I remembered the children in our neighborhood in my village. They used to gathered colorful flowers in order to offer to Blessed Mary. Some were making nice bouquet. I don’t quiet understand that time what they were doing. All I know that before the end of that month there was a coronation. I was excited to watch that event because most of my girl friends were dressed in gown and holding a beautiful bouquet with their escort.

For the other town or city the way how they celebrate the Santacruzan were way different compared to the village. As you can noticed, the Church as well as the local government will really provide for the expenses. You’ve got to see all the lovely maidens in the town wearing their beautiful gowns.

Now a days, Santacruzan is highlighted by showbiz personality or beauty queens, instead of finding beautiful lady in their own town to become Reyna Elena or Queen Elena (Helena). There’s not much exciting now compared before.

Usually people only remember or says thank you to their mother when it is “Mother’s Day.”  We do not even almost recognize the everyday effort they made for us. So maybe that is why mostly we get back to them every Mother’s Day by giving them gifts and other stuff.

The most common thing to give to mothers is flowers. Simply because that is what we think that could make them smile and feel happy and blessed that we remember them in their special day. But others have their own way of saying thank you to their parents.

So how about you, how are you gonna say “thank you Ma for everything”?

Living in the farm  can’t give you much stress to deal with. A lot of advantages you can gain too.  One of these is the fresh air you can breath. You don’t need air conditioning.  You can eat  fresh fruits and vegetables anytime too.

Raising hogs, livestock (for your daily consumption), cattle and goats are too easy in the farm.You can plant rice, corn, cotton, coconut as a source of your income in the farm. You will just go to the city in order to buy those needed stuff in the grocery for your stocks.

Everyone  knew what his or her neighbors kitchen looked like because everybody in the community would help each other harvest his or her crops.

You mostly knew the name of your neighbors. This unique lifestyle creates small, strong, thriving close-knit communities that would simply make the beauty of life in the farm.

But after ordering, I was a little disappointed because I think that the coffee that my Uncle brewed at the house was a lot more better than their coffee.

It made me think that maybe people are really into it because is both famous and international. The best thing there is the WiFi.

Anyway, I had a good time and a new experience.

City fiesta or festival is the grandest of all fiesta. Colorful parade, spectacular celebrations, even the celebrities will come and of course the big political figure from nearby and other cities will come too just to grace the occasions .

Some notable festivals are: Sinulog Festival, Dinagyang, Ati-Atihan, Flores de Mayo, Kadayawan sa Dabaw, Penagbenga Festival and  etc.

Above all of this, village or fiesta in the barrio is quietly unique for me. Once a year, the entire village is  decorated for the annual feast. Prominent citizen from the village are being honored. In some cases, the town or municipal mayor and the other political figure from nearby village will also grace this occasion.

People start preparing fiesta dishes a couple of days in advance. A whole roasted pig called Lechon is the most significant fiesta food. Other dishes include pancit (noodle dishes), dinuguan (pork blood stew, blood pudding stew, and chocolate meat), menudo, kare- kare and among others are always present on the table.

The village chieftain or captain will surely prepare food for the unexpected visitor. Even if you don’t know anyone you can be sure you can eat.

Fiesta activities include basketball and volleyball competitions, singing and dancing contests are popular events. For grown up men, a cockfight,  is a common fiesta feature.  There are time, when you can encounter a horse fight too. A night before fiesta there is also a beauty contest. But unlike in the city, it is just simple.

So what can you say? Everybody is welcome, no invitations required!

But for sure, majority of the Filipinos are hanging out on the beach since its already hot here in the Philippines.

If you are planning on having fun like camping, swimming etc.,  food and snacks should always be present. Talking about snacks,  WowPhilippines has a great variety of snacks that are perfect to bring for picnics.

Just a reminder, remember to bring the most needed things when planning for an outing.