Gramielle

The besties do the duet!

What are you smiling at, Mark?

Now that’s one sacrastic laugh right there, you guys! :))))

Now Chawi, you take it from here!!!! 

Am I really that bad? :(

JaChaGM! <3

Here goes the modelesque Charles again! :))))))

Some of the Orphans! With Khakak, the one with the red top, whom I found out to have such an awesome voice.

Sembreak 2011 version 9! 11/03/2011

One of the things we love to do—singing our hearts out. JachaGM + Orphans, just the perfect company! <3

Our WinWin moments. :))

These pictures are actually taken with a two-week gap. Well obviously, for WinWin’s dressed differently. Haha. So here’s my story:

Waiting in queue at the airport, heading home for my sembreak-ation, there’s this girl in front of me quite familiar but I just can’t figure out who she is right away. Trying hard to remember where I’ve seen her and all, she took a glimpse back, face in front of me, and viewed how long the line is. And so, my guesses narrowed down to only two: whether she’s WinWin or not. Haha. But seeing her fitness first bag, there I have my answer.

Having no TV at the dorm makes me the unupdated one with Filipino soap operas and reality TV shows. But I can say I’ve seen a couple of Pinoy Biggest Loser episodes, since I always chill at Ate Ghie’s place. And ever since, I’ve always been cheering for WinWin. I just find her innocently cute, and very humble. Add to that that she’s also from Mindanao, makes me proud. So seeing her in person, I was like…. REALLY? HAHA. She’s really sweet and friendly, since I did not miss the chance to talk to her. She was heading home to Bukidnon that time. Being away from home for months, she was really excited. I’m really happy for her experience. You go girl! :D

Whoah, that was quite long. Haha. Now here’s Chawi’s story:

My second trip back home for sembreak; from enrolment, Chawi went with Mom to fetch me at the airport but we went to the mall first before heading home. While we were in this certain store, one saleslady mentioned that WinWin was at the mall. Chawi, who knew my WinWin moment, laughed and hoped we could see her so he could have his WinWin moment too. But with too much window shopping, we eventually forgot about it until she walked past us and surprised, I went: “Chawi, si WinWin!!!!!” And so, he eventually had his. Haha. So much for our being bestfriends. :)))))

I’m actually sick right now. BOHOOOO. :( 

Here’s Bea on her debut throne. :)

Mami’s quite enjoying.

The elders. HEE.

Ate Angela, my close friend since gradeschool, happens to be there too! :)

Angelica. :)

‘Coz they say I looked like a vampire. Haa.

A few of the Grayshark’s team with the debutant! :)

Nice Mom! Nice. :))))

Jessica! :)

HAHAHAHA ODING! :)))

Kids by heart! :D

Perks of being the only girl. :))))

Sembreak 2011 version 8! Bea’s Debut. 10/29/2011

Quite a long post here. Hee. A night of being dressed up while having fun. Happy Birthday, Bea! :)

Pardon thy hair! :D

Him already! :))))))

Chawi for Mags! \m/n_n\m/

After so long, finally a new pair of my favorite slippers. 40% sale eh! :D

Chawi for Havaianas and Mags! :)))

Sembreak 2011 version 7! 10/28/2011

Chawi went with Mami to fetch me at the airport, for the first time! So off to the mall first before heading home. Awww, times like these. <3

First customer for the day! :)

Even the ceiling’s designed too with posters and travel articles and all. :)

Their place mat says it all! :)

Bigby’s, Cagayan de Oro

It has been two sembreak-ations already that right after I arrived at the airport, and Mom’s still on her way, I go straight to the mall right into Bigby’s. This restaurant has been one of my favorites ever since and not seeing a branch in Manila, although they say there is one, I can’t help but want to sink my teeth into their good food right when I have the chance. Plus the place is as awesome and unique, bringing you to a world of traveling and souvenirs. So if you’re looking for some awesome-travel-themed restaurant with some REALLY GREAT babyback ribs, Bigby’s got it. ;)

I kinda don’t make sense though since there’s no food picture included. It is because right after the food was served, the smell caught my brain too fast that I forgot to take a picture first before eating. Me already. :))))

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, just remember The Mayonnaise Jar and The Two Beers.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. 

When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. 
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. 

The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. 
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. 

They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. 

Of course, the sand filled up everything else.. 

He asked once more if the jar was full… 

The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. 

The students laughed..

‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. 

The golf balls are the important things—-your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions—-and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car..
The sand is everything else—-the small stuff. 

‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. 

The same goes for life. 

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. 

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. 
Spend time with your children. 
Spend time with your family.
Spend time with your parents.
Visit your grandparents. 
Take your spouse out to dinner. 
Call your friends.
Play another 18 holes of golf.
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. 

Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. 
Set your priorities. 
The rest is just sand. 

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. 

The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’
The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend. :)

Noelie! :)

Jazzy! :)

Dennis’ the lick once again!

Laughs like these. :)))

Jazzy’s bloddy red nails. <3

Videoke time once again!

Sembreak 2011 version 5! 10/24/2011

Last night out with the barkada before I went back to Manila for enrollment. :)

Let the games begin! :D

I’m running for my life here. :)))

Sadly I was the first one eliminated out. BOOHOO! :)))))

Run guys! RUN!!!

Anything, just to get that one slipper.

ANYTHING. :)))))

And then there were 4…

And then there were 3….

How happy these two are. HAHA!

In the end, Oding, the one on the left, won the game and was considered The Great Titan! :D

Sembreak 2011 version 4-G! 10/23/2011

Time for some game, introduced to us by Clark, called “Who is the Great Titan?” It’s pretty simple. Number of players minus one equals the number of slippers to be put up. So if there are 7 players, only 6 slippers would be arranged in a line. Then, the players would be on the opposite end in a plank position. And when the master says the lines “Who Is The Great Titan????” everyone should run fast to get one slipper and whoever doesn’t get one would be out of the game. That simple. But pretty tiring. But FUN! :)))))

So… this ends up our Dakak fun. We were too busy playing that we weren’t able to tour much of the whole of Dakak beach. Next time. Next time. :D

Moms and Me! :)

With Mami’s co-teachers who were also with us. :)

Almost-stolen shots are one of the best! And Mom’s rocking it too. HAHA!

Oh these kids. :))))

Pardon thy face. I also had my share. :))))

Kayo na may ABS! :)))))

LOL you guys! :))))

Now our turn! HEE.

Mom checking out my big bruise from last night’s bump cars. HAHA.

Mothers…..

HAHAHAA!

Can I just eat here forever? :)

Sembreak 2011 version 4-F! 10/23/2011

Now this would be the highlight of our Dapitan trip. It’s so rare for us, as a team, to go to the beach, swim and just have fun. So here we are making the most of our time. Haa. GO GRAYSHARKS! \m/n_n\m/

Whoah, It’s taking me soooo long to finish my sembreak posts. Internet, please cooperate! And note to self: cut the laziness. :)))

Here’s Jennah: Behind the scenes. Thanks Booboo for the pictures! I have to say, this is one great view! IKAW NA! :)))))))

He is versatile just like that. Hahahaha! Now on a serious note: A birthday can be seen as a serious or joyful time depending on one’s age and one’s attitude towards life. Another year has passed and we look back on failures and successes. We think about our goals for the future and reflect on the past year. These are all thoughts that may came up on a birthday, but the main thing is to use a birthday as an opportunity to celebrate life and be joyful for the chance to be with friends and family. 

He sure can make even the dullest day so friggin’ interesting with his bright model-y smile and his hilarious sense of humor. He’s simply awesome to have around.

I wish you all the best there is. I love you, Chawi! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! <3 <3 <3

Awesome bar design, yes? :D

Dakak’s restaurant by the beach. <3

Oozing with coldness. :))))

Notice the 2-yolked egg! :)))

Morning face. Thus! :)))

Sumptuous breakfast indeed! :D

Sembreak 2011 version 4-E! 10/23/2011

Breakfast at Dakak’s restaurant by the beach! Normally, people would just spend their stubs on the breakfast buffet, which is also very tempting and for sure yummy, but then we chose to spend our remaining stub amounts for souvenir items thus the ordered breakfast set only. But still, made us burp into yumminess! :D

The gates and entrance for some adventure!

‘Cause there were 30 of us! :)))))

Musical shows every night! <3

The one that gets you lose your soul for about a second or two. HAAAY! :))))

Lights everywhere! <3

Hey there baby girls! :))))

What’s with that side, you guys? :)))

One of them boys again! :)))

THIS! THIS!

Had a big bruise on my left knee for playing bump cars for around 4 times! 

5D is everything you can imagine. Haha. 

Lil cousin playing the bull ride and rocking it! He never fell down!

Too conscious of getting their t-shirts wet. Grabe lang! :))))))))

Not ‘cause this is a kiddie ride, I’ll not think of my safety anymore!

Now I am all set! :))))))))))))

Sembreak 2011 version 4-D! 10/22/2011

Off for some the-child-in-us adventure at Gloria’s Fantasyland! It makes me proud that somewhere in the humble Mindanao, there’s a well-developed theme park visited by thousands of tourists from all over the country. Also a first in Mindanao, I think. Way to go!

Yet again, got only a few OKAY photos though. There were no photos of the fireworks, of the horror house, of the mascots, of the roller coaster and of some rides and stuff. Just imagine how excited all of us were to actually ride and try EVERYTHING that there were not enough camera moments to spare. Haha! Now I can just imagine our faces riding the Galleon. WOHOOOO! :))))

Anyhoo, check out Gloria’s Fantasyland site HERE! Although I don’t think it is that much updated. :D

I was quite enjoying the greenest grass ever and my green nails. Hee. :D

One of the many bahay kubo!

Unique, aren’t they? :)))))

Check out the plants’ reflection! :D

Their kitchenette back then!

Customized mat. Nice!

The many faces of Jose Rizal!

One of thousands Rizal statues!

WHITE LADY! *gasps* Hee. There, my friends, is where Rizal lived! :)

There goes Rizal’s swimming pool!

Funny pose there, little cousin! HAHAHA!

Sembreak 2011 version 4-C! 10/22/11

Remember back when our national hero, Jose Rizal, got exiled? He was brought to a place far away enough from Luzon and that was in Dapitan City in Mindanao; where in he actually met the love of his life-Josephine Bracken. Yay! Now here we are, yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaars after, on his well-preserved exile place famously called Rizal Shrine. :)