Hi Everyone!

This weekend is a three day holiday weekend in the Philippines. The storms are all gone and we are having great weather.What has made it extra special is Mama surprised us all and had two of our cousins here for the whole weekend.

It has been great, so far, as I have my older brother and sisters plus two cousins to play with all day. We have been playing games outside during the day time and playing video games and watching movies (with great big bowls of popcorn) during the evening.

This morning we all attended church services and played the rest of the day. Tomorrow, we will play but my cousins must go home in the late afternoon as they must get ready for school on Tuesday.

What a great weekend! I hope that you all had a safe and wonderful weekend.

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Technorati Tags: family, games, holiday weekend, Movies, Weather

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Hi Everyone!

Did you miss me?

I hope so as I have been on a “break” from DJ’s World to spend time with family. The past four days have been a wonderful time. We had a full house with many of my family relatives. So many of my cousins stayed at our house. Mama said that it was okay to not post the last four days as she said that it was important to spend time with my cousins.

Even though the weather was  really bad with so much wind and rain the last four days, we were able to play so many games, watch movies and talk together. We did get to play outside when it wasn’t raining. The whole extended family played tether ball and soccer. It was really fun. My older sisters with their girl cousins stayed up really late Saturday night to watch “crush” movies (that’s love movies) and do “girl gossip.” Sunday morning we all watched Mass services on television as we could not go outside because it was such bad weather. My baby girl cousin had a birthday party on Sunday as she is 2 years old. I don’t like being around her right now because she is always wanting her way and screaming when she doesn’t get it. I ask Mama if I was like that when I was 2 years old and she said “No.”

I really was sad when everyone left late Sunday. I really like having all the people in our house and, most importantly, I love to have all my cousins playing with me. Mama said that there may be a chance that some of my cousins will come back next weekend. I am looking forward to that!

How was your weekend?

Thanks for your visit.

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Hi Everyone!

Tomorrow is Sunday and it is our day to take time to spend with God. Mama and Dada says that it doesn’t matter what your religion or faith is; it is important to practice it. Spending time with God in prayer is good because it reminds us who we are and where we come from and who our Father is.

Later in the day, our family will be celebrating my cousin’s birthday. Many family members will be here so there will be a lot of fun and plenty to eat.

I hope that you will have a wonderful Sunday with your family. I am including the cartoon of our Sunday church visit as so many people have said that they like it.

Bye for now!

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Hi Everyone!

Last week, we traveled to Baguio City and had a great time. We visited a lot of nice places and did a lot of great things. Before we left, Mama took me to the public market to buy “pasalubong” for the rest of our family. I asked Mama why we do that whenever we go somewhere.

Mama said pasalubong is a Tagalog word which if translated in the American language would be “keepsake or presents”.

She said that pasalubong is a “gift for a relation or friend brought by” a “traveler returning from a trip,” and could also refer to “anything given as a gift to someone on the way home to a certain place. These returning travelers are known as balikbayan.

Pasalubong is usually local foods or things from the country where the Filipino traveler came from. For example, someone from Hawaii will bring macadamia nuts while someone that came from the Philippines might give decorations that are made up of kapis shells.

She told me, In the Philippines it has acquired the meaning of a gift or souvenir from someone traveling either visiting or upon returning home or someone who happens to be away from  the house for a period of time or just a day out of the house. The literal meaning of pasalubong is to “greet”, “surprise” or “meet with”. It is often suggest as “salubong” or refers to the act of meeting someone who just arrived and the one arriving, having been warm welcomed, compensates them with a pasalubong. It is not really the pasalubong that matters to a family, but the person who comes back home after a long time.

Mama said that pasalubong is very popular among Filipinos as it keeps the bond with friends, family, relatives or someone who does have a close relationship with you. The gesture of handing out “pasalubong” conveys that loved ones are being remembered while away. Pasalubong can range from food items such as fruits, imported confectionery goods and other sweets (i.e. chips, canned goods and the most common are chocolates). Pasalubong can also be other items such as shirts, novelty items, knives and toys among others. Pasalubongs are often not wrapped and given to someone as it is.

Mama said that a Balikbayan box is sometimes considered as pasalubongs by Filipinos. But unlike the traditional way of pasalubongs, it is sent as a box full of items/gifts. These gifts are usually packed in a balikbayan (which literally means, “return to town or nation”) box, which are large standardized carboard boxes.

She said that pasalubong may or may not be a souvenir from another place. It could be anything, either wild, native, gadgets as long as it is given to them as present.

I am really happy that we, in the Philippines, have such great traditions that show how much we care for our family and friends.

Good-bye for now!

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Technorati Tags: family, Family Values, Love, Mother's Day

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