Summer, Stories, and Small Moments
April is hot!
Road trips, beach, stories, and some reunion.
It was tiring, very expensive, and memorable, I must say. I always want to post about these stories in my blog to maintain connections to these memories.
Holy Week in Matabungkay
For Holy Week, we went to Matabungkay for another summer getaway. Beach, island, relaxation.
But honestly, it was so hot, and how can you relax if you have a toddler?
We went to an island to chill for a bit, but the heat was almost unbearable. Instead of swimming, we mostly stayed in the shade while the kids enjoyed the water. Kean played in the sand for a long time that he did not even take his afternoon nap.
But come to think of it, seeing my kid happy is something that I can be proud of. Not everyone can afford this. I'm thankful to the Lord for all the blessings.
After that, we headed to a beach resort where we stayed overnight. The place was peaceful at night. The sound of the waves, tired bodies after a long day under the sun, and everyone slowly quieting down after all the activities.
Angrydobo – Chef’s Night
I booked a dinner date at Angrydobo for their Chef’s Night.
Oddly enough, it was our first time there. We had never even tried their regular menu before, yet somehow our first experience there was already a special event featuring none other than Judy Ann Santos and Chef Sonny Mariano.
And yes, we got starstruck.
Judy Ann Santos was kind, warm, and honestly glowing in person. We even got photos with them, which still feels surreal when I think about it.
But beyond meeting celebrities, what I appreciated the most was the quality time with Jassie.
We spent most of the night talking about the food being served to us because almost every dish felt unfamiliar in a good way. It was a Filipino-Spanish degustation menu, so there were flavors that felt familiar, but presented in ways I probably wouldn’t normally try on my own.
Some dishes were strange at first bite, but memorable afterward.
The food was genuinely amazing.
Would I do it again? Absolutely.
Swimming in Laiya, Batangas
After months of planning, cancellations, and “tuloy ba talaga?” messages, I finally got to spend time with my friends again: Edgar, Maiqui, and Jona.
This time, instead of our usual mall hangouts, we went to Laiya, Batangas.
And honestly, that already made it feel different.
Since I’m from Laguna and the only one with a car, I became the official driver for the trip. House-to-house pickup pa talaga.
I was nervous because it meant driving through EDSA alone, something I’m still not fully comfortable with. But somehow, experiences like this slowly build confidence.
I picked up Jona first while it was still dark outside. We looked for a place to eat because she insisted on treating me to breakfast. After that, we picked up Maiqui and Navi, then headed toward Batangas to meet Edgar.
Of course, there was a coffee stop somewhere in between because no road trip is complete without coffee.
Eventually, we arrived at Edgar’s beautiful home and finally met Liza. Their house honestly made me imagine having a home somewhere in the south someday. Quiet. Spacious. Peaceful.
After preparing everything, we headed to the beach resort.
Long drive. Hot weather. Random stories inside the car.
When we arrived, we mostly ate, talked, sang songs, and played around with cameras. Maiqui and Edgar had new cameras, so naturally we spent time shooting photos and trying random creative shots. I also got to enjoy using my own camera again.
It felt nice being around people who enjoy the same things.
After a few hours, we left the resort, grabbed coffee again somewhere along the way, then started the long drive home.
We dropped Edgar off first and said goodbye to Liza, then drove all the way back to Manila to bring Maiqui and Jona home safely.
There were still stories inside the car during the drive home.
Honestly, I missed this kind of friendship.
I didn’t really grow up with a lot of friends, so having this circle now feels special to me. Meeting up only once in a while somehow makes the moments more meaningful.
Adult friendships are hard to maintain.
That’s why I appreciate this one.
Went to Church for VG
We also attended church for VG again.
There’s always something comforting about being there. Familiar faces, conversations, worship, and just being reminded to slow down spiritually when life starts becoming too busy.
Sometimes you don’t realize how mentally tired you are until you finally sit still.
Kean’s Field Trip – Sta. Elena Farm
Dad life continues.
Kean recently started school, and only a few weeks later, we were already joining him for a field trip at Sta. Elena Farm.
As tiring as it was, it was honestly so much fun.
Kean was everywhere.
Walking around nonstop. Exploring every corner. Looking at animals with pure excitement like everything was the greatest thing he had ever seen.
He rode a horse.
Got carried by a carabao ride.
Fed animals with grass.
Watched his mom ride the zipline.
And through all of it, he looked genuinely happy.
As a parent, moments like this hit differently.
You get tired physically, yes. Your feet hurt, your back hurts, and you just want to sit down sometimes. But seeing your child experience joy so openly somehow makes all the exhaustion worth it.
It’s a tiring season of life.
But it’s also a beautiful one.
And honestly, I love this little family that we’re building.
