MYMP "Make Your Mama Proud"

Last week, I received photos from Manila, the graduation day of my niece Red. I'm happy to see those photos.. When I saw the first photo, in which my sister-in-law walks with Red going to the stage... I remember one of my favorite acoustic bands way back in Philippines the MYMP... When I saw the first photo I saw the true meaning of MYMP which is "Make Your Mama Proud", see how happy my sister-in-law then while walking with Red? My sister in law named "Happy" is really happy then... I like that photo...

Red just graduated from Kinder school (Mother Sheperd Academy). She graduated with 2nd Honor and got the First Place award in Reading and Spelling bee contest last October 2008...

Congratulations! Red
Congrats too to your Papa and Mama too.

May God continue to bless you to be a bright girl for always...

I guess I could say it MYFP too - "Make Your Family Proud"... See the smile of my brother in the 4th photo?... for sure the whole family is proud of you Red, especially your Lolo's and Lola's as well... Keep up the good work!

DST - Daylight Saving Time

Last midnight, we have adjusted our clocks by advancing 1 hour. So at 12:00 midnight (28 March) we've adjusted our clocks to 1:00 a.m. This is for Zomertijd (Summer time) or more known as DST, Daylight Saving Time. Funny, it was called Zomertijd (Summer time) even though the Spring season had just began.... Anyway, I've noticed that the sunlight is staying longer now, like today, at 8:00 in the evening the sun still shines...




Nederlands time





Philippines time

Mini Playback show

We've attended the Mini Playback show in the school of Sharon and Nienke (daughters of Ron)... It's nice, kids did the lipsinging... Sharon as Amy Macdonald and lipsings "This is the life". And Nienke as Grabrielle Cilmi and lipsings "Sweet about me". I've enjoyed the night... I've enjoyed watching kids doing the lipsinging of their favorite singers...

Verblijfsdocument (Residence Permit)

Yesterday, before we went to Amersfoort to attend the Ceremony for receiving Gold Medal of Papa Willem. We went first to IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) in Zwolle. I just got my renewed Verblijfsdocument or Residence Permit ID here in Holland. This is an Identification card for foreigners like me. Last year, I applied for it and have it good for 1 year. So I applied for renewal this year. And now, my new Verblijfsdocument is good for 5 years. I'm still alien here, even though I'm married to a dutch man and even we have a daughter already. It's not automatic here to get right away a dutch passport then... I still have to pass the Inburgering Exam or Staatsexamen Nederlands als tweede taal (Dutch as second language). That's why I have to go to school for at least 1 year to study dutch language. I'm required under Dutch government to go to school. It's good for me too because I'm learning and understanding dutch language now... And trying to talk in dutch as well... so far...."gaat goed" (doing well).

Koninklijke Landmacht (Royal Netherlands Army)

We have received an Uitnodiging (Invitation) from Koninklijke Landmacht (Royal Netherlands Army)... Papa Willem is the boyfriend of my mother-in-law. Today he received a Gold Medal for 36 years fair and loyal service for Royal Netherlands Army. It was such a special ceremony.... We have the chance to go inside the Military base and I've seen some Army vehicles too... In the photo, you'll see Papa Willem, Mama Gea, me and Mireille, in the background you'll see an army truck. My husband told me that he once drove that kind of truck during those time that he was in service too in Army somewhere in 1990's...

Gefeliciteerd Papa Willem!
May God bless you with strenght and good health.
Gefeliciteerd ook aan Mama Gea!

Spring hairstyle

Last September, I have my hair curl and I even wrote a blog about it dutch my life: Krul haar (Curl hair) . Then just a month ago, Marjan (my sister-in-law, who's a good hairstylist and the one who curl my hair) was trying to convince me that my hair is getting long and it's time to cut my hair... But I really like long and curly hair at the same, so I always said "No"...

Then just yesterday, I just mention quick to Marjan, that I'm already thinking that maybe it's really time to cut my hair short... just for a change.... Anyway, it's not so cold anymore, normally, my long hair helps to keep me warm especially to cover the back of my neck... Oh! it was so cold the last months, whenever I would go on bicycle, you can really feel the cold wind then.... Now, it's Spring time... I've tried already to go on bicycle with a pony-tail hair.. ahhh, not so cold anymore...

Wow! Today, Marjan came in our house carrying her "hairstylist tool box", ready to cut my hair, hehe!... So, yes i just said goodbye to my long hair as you see in the 2nd photo.
Now, I have new short and still curly hair.... This is the first time that i have this hairstyle... and I would call it "Spring hairstyle".

My husband said "It looks good!"... Of course (he is my husband e)... hahahaha!

1st day of Spring season

Here is the photo album I made, when we walk in the park last Saturday (March 21), the official 1st day of Spring season here. Then we went also to the Kinderboerderij (childfarm) Winschoten, where there is also a speeltuin (playground). Actually, the park and the Kinderboerderij is just walking distance away from our house... Nice ha!

Laetare Sunday

Yesterday was the 4th Sunday of Lent and called Laetare Sunday. "Laetare" is a latin word which means "Rejoice" a word which is always first proclaimed in the holy mass of Laetare Sunday. Like the 3rd Sunday of Advent which is called "Gaudete Sunday", the priest can wear vestment in "pink" and you'll see flowers too in the altar pink as possible, that's why some say it's "Pink Sunday"... Normally during Lent season the priest wears purple vestment and there are no flowers in the altar.... Some does penance, fasting and almsgiving... the preparation for the coming Good Friday seems to give sadness in the air, but the Laetare Sunday is like a pause... and the word "Rejoice!" reminds us that the good news of Easter Sunday is coming too...

"Verheug u" (Rejoice!)

Lente seizoen (Spring season)

The Lente seizoen (Spring season) officially begins today here in Holland... I know for some of my Filipino reader or Christian reader, who will read my blog first thought, I mean "Lente" means Lent season, in catholic tradition the forty days of fasting, prayer and penitence before Easter Sunday... Well, so as now it's spring season and lent season at the same time...

I made some photos of krokussen (crocus) flowers today. Those purple and white flowers in the photos. Actually those flowers bloom already maybe 2 weeks ago... But I've heard in the news, the blooming of flowers this year were a bit later than last year.... Maybe because last year we have some snow also.  Normally the winter here in the past few years don't really give so much snow that's why it think the flowers bloom also earlier than spring season...

Anyway, I made some photos of those yellow flowers and trees which appear to have color green.. It was such a nice weather today... We walk in the park.... And I can feel that "the spring begins".

Dora the Explorer

Last Christmas (2008), Mireille receives a gift from my family in Manila, it is Dora doll...

Since we came here last year February, I let her watch Dora the Explorer every now and then on TV which is in Dutch language. But sometimes I let her watch also Dora DVD but only in English language...

Last month, she don't have a chance to watch Dora because I just don't see the Dora DVD around here anymore and I always forgot to put the chanel in Nickelodeon everytime there's Dora...  Aside from the past few weeks, her favorite was Bambi -a young deer from Walt Disney.

Then last week, my daughter had a chance again to watch Dora DVD in (English)... Wow! I've observed how Dora film fits for viewing now with my daughter (who is now almost 2 years and 2 months old)... I've observed how she tried to answer Dora as interaction in watching her... For a week, my daughter was so fond of watching Dora. Before I turn-on the TV, she is requesting me already "Boots, Boots, Boots"... Aahhh yes, she mean `Boots` the monkey and best friend of Dora who is most of the time with her on most of her adventures... So yes, as for now, my daughter´s favorite was Boots than Dora, hehe! 

Anyway, I´ve heard from my brother that my niece named Red, who was fond of watching Dora too, is now 5 years old, she´s going to school already and she can really speak english with a slang accent... but the problem is it´s a bit difficult now for her to speak some Tagalog words... It´s nice Red can somehow understand and speak english in early age, but there´s a bit problem with tagalog language, which is main language in Philippines.... So now, I should make a decision in what language should my daughter watch Dora, in english or dutch? I think better for her to watch it in dutch, so she would not have problem with communcation here and she would not have a problem when she starts to go to school... because last night, I´ve heard her already, speaking some english language which for sure she learn from watching Dora in english language... 

For sure, she will still learn some english words from some english animated movies she sometimes watch here... And as of now, I´m trying to teach her some tagalog words as well, one word at a time...