I've been preoccupied with packing our things and fitting them all together in four pieces of luggage that I have neglected to feel the emotions associated with leaving.  However, everything eventually sank in when the time came that we had to bid goodbye to our first home. 

It was heartbreaking to think that we would never see this place again.  A place that held so much happy memories for our family.  A place we called "HOME" for almost six years.

Seeing it for the last time brought back all the precious moments we have had in this flat -- from the time we learned about my pregnancy, to bringing Rafa home for the first time (and all the sleepless nights that came after that), to becoming pregnant for the second time, and eventually welcoming Joaquin who completed our family.  The feeling was overwhelming, I felt like a tear would fall from my eyes.

My heart is heavy to leave but it's now time to move to the next chapter of our lives.  Thank you so much, Abu Dhabi, for all the wonderful opportunities you have brought to our family!  Our hearts will be forever grateful!

Off we go to our next adventure!

This was the main reason why our family came home to the Philippines for a quick three-week vacation last month.  We usually visit our home country for an annual holiday during the cooler months of November and December, which also happened to be my papa and mama's birth month, but this year was an exemption -- because my younger brother got married to his girlfriend of eight years and of course, we cannot miss it for the world!

The celebration of their union was simple but unconventional.  My brother is a low-profile type of person and he doesn't like being the center of everybody's attention.  Hence, he decided to totally get away with all the wedding traditions that we usually see in a typical reception.  So yeah, they didn't have the cutting of the cake, wine toasting, releasing of doves, father-daughter/ mother-son/ bride-groom dance, speeches, etc.  Instead, they just chose to have a scrumptious dinner, good music, and fun games.  It was a great night!  In fact, even my four-year-old son had enjoyed the party (which simply meant there was never a dull or boring moment during the program)!

Apart from being a well-reserved individual, my brother also happens to be a very frugal spender (a.k.a. "makunat" in Tagalog).  He doesn't like spending on things which will just be a waste of money.  That's the reason why they didn't bother to buy flowers to decorate the church's aisle.  [Trust me, I saw how the church staff threw all the flowers (from a preceding ceremony) in a black trash bag before my brother's wedding started.  And it's like throwing away thousands of pesos in a span of one hour!]  In addition, he also just wore his old barong, pants, and shoes for this event.  He basically didn't wear anything new that day and I really admire him for that!  He's that matipid!  He doesn't like to spend money for himself.  Rather, he opted to splurge on entertainment (i.e. band, lights and sounds, host), prizes and giveaways -- something everyone would enjoy and appreciate.

As a guest, I appreciated that they provided refreshments for everyone right after the ceremony -- that way, our tummies are filled with something before we left the church because who knows, we might get stuck in traffic! Moreover, I loooooved how we didn't have to wait that long for the reception program to begin.  Meaning, they didn't starve us to death waiting for dinner, lol!  I suppose the bride and groom had their "post-nuptial" pictorial done before the ceremony even started -- so their guests won't get hungry and bored waiting.  Indeed, our comfort and satisfaction as guests were thoughtfully considered in planning this wonderful affair.  Kudos to the newlyweds for a job well done!

To view their SDE by Lumniscate Photography, click HERE.

Last Saturday, my husband and I had the chance to go on a date to celebrate Valentine's Day in advance.  You know, ever since we became parents, a yaya-less one at that, romantic dates like this have become so rare we almost consider it as a thing of a distant past.

Indeed, managing a home and raising two kids under five is not an easy task. Ron and I often find ourselves overwhelmed with the never-ending list of things that need to be done.   To tell you frankly, we barely even talk anymore.  Ok, that's me exaggerating!  What I actually mean is that we only talk in order to run the house.  Nothing more, nothing less. 

It's sad but that's the reality of building a family and living a life overseas -- you have to learn to do things by yourself because hiring nannies and helpers in this part of the world come with a hefty price tag.  Being the 'kuripot' couple that we are, I guess, we'd rather allot the money for something else like the kids' college fund, or our future home, or travel. 

You see, no matter how demanding this whole parenthood is, we'd still choose to become the hands-on parents that we are today because apart from being practical, we also know that our kids will be this little only for a few good years.  And we want to make the most out of that very short time (before they begin to live a life of their own)!

I once read this meme somewhere:

Whoever authored that quote is a genius!  Obviously, parenting can be exhausting, crazy, and frustrating.  That is why parents NEED to take a break, too -- to avoid burnout because you know, we're also humans.  And what could be better than going on a date night for a breather? 

My husband and I badly needed one, so we can reconnect with each other and remember how it feels like to be a couple once more.  Thankfully, my siblings volunteered to babysit Rafa and Joaquin while Ron and I took a few hours off our parenting duties. 

We left the house at around 10 am and headed to Nation Towers Organic Food and Cafe for brunch.  This dining place is a hidden gem located in a grocery store which serves healthy and delicious food made from organic ingredients.  Its industrial interiors suggest a casual vibe to give their customers a more relaxed and comfortable dining experience.  Service is superb and their menu, especially the breakfast buffet (available from 9 am to 12 noon) is to die for!!!

At a price of just AED 39 per head, you'll get to enjoy a flavorful, healthy and organic breakfast -- buffet style!  So you can basically eat-all-you-can without feeling guilty!  Seriously, this is one of the best breakfasts I've ever had in my entire life!  It's super 'sulit' and really worth the try!

Our next stop: Louvre Abu Dhabi.  This dome-shaped building, which seems to float above the turquoise waters of Saadiyat Island, is the newest arts and civilization museum in town.  It displays a vast collection of artworks and artifacts from around the world ranging from the prehistoric era to contemporary period. 

Upon entering the building, each guest will be asked to pass through a metal detector and have their bags scanned by an x-ray machine for security purposes.  We visited Louvre on a weekend (Saturday) thus, there were quite a lot of visitors that day. Nonetheless, it took us only about 10 minutes on the queue to get our tickets.  While waiting, my husband noticed that some tourists were paying in euro, so yeah, you can probably pay using a different currency.  Also, those people carrying backpacks were asked to leave their bag in the cloakroom to avoid accidentally knocking out statues or scratching paintings.

The entire museum galleries are categorized into 12 chapters and can be explored for a good two to three hours.  (I'm not sure how long it would take if you'd use an audio guide tho.)  Cultural performances are also held here but you have to book a separate ticket for that because the admission ticket only gives you access to the galleries, exhibitions, children's museum, and the public places under the dome (i.e. plaza, cafe, and restaurant).  For ticket pricing, click HERE.

The artworks exhibited here, of course, cannot be compared to the extensive collection owned by Louvre Paris.  Nevertheless, you'll be able to see and appreciate pieces from renowned artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, Da Vinci, etc. Even the building itself is already an amazing work of art!  Indeed, this newest attraction is a must visit when you're in Abu Dhabi! 

Obviously, my husband and I had enjoyed our alone time together.  This one of a kind Valentine's date is definitely one for the books!  Hoping for more memorable romantic dates in the future!  *fingers crossed*