Special day...

Today is our Four-year Wedding Anniversary! We celebrated this special day by having a nice cozy dinner for three in "1872" restaurant located on Ben Gurion avenue with our dear Enna-Marie. This restaurant is in one of the renovated buildings that the German Templers used to occupy towards the end of the 19th century when they came to Haifa in anticipation of the return of Christ. It is surprising how time flies, I remember we just got married and now we are starting our 5th year! Yep I know it is still a loooong way to go, but I would say that I'm happy and contented having spent the last 4 years with my dear husband. Happy Anniversary Sweets!

Here are some photos...

Enna-Marie scared to walk on the glass floor

She brought one of her favorite books about grandma and grandpa cats

Eating and reading with papa

After dinner, Enna-Marie and papa played on the glass floor

Our yummy dessert, hot chocolate cake with ice cream, note the ice cream they gave for Enna-Marie

Mama and baby Enna enjoying the dessert

My New Look...

My mom and dad trimmed my hair last weekend, my ever first hair cut and this is how I look now...





















I also liked my long hair before, see pictures below taken last week, but I guess it is time to have a new hairdo.

We're back!

We arrived back in Haifa on Monday morning after a long trip from Manila through Bangkok. We had a ten-hour layover in Bangkok, but thankfully we were able to get a dayroom in the airport so we were able to get some much needed rest, relaxation and a hot shower! Our friend Kurt picked us up from the airport, we were so glad he came because with so much luggage and Enna-Marie to carry it would have been very difficult to get home by train and taxi. We had to get used to the cold in Israel again after enjoying 30+ temperatures for over six weeks in Cambodia and the Philippines.

Although it's good to be home again, we of course also miss our dear family and friends. Enna-Marie is always holding the family picture recognizing and pointing to everyone! She misses especially her ate's (cousins). It was mom's birthday yesterday, and so we had a chance to talk briefly with her and kuya Nur. When we learned the whole family had gone to the mall to watch a movie we wished we were there with them. Happy birthday mom, and enjoy your remaining stay in Manila before you go back to Kidapawan!

Family Picture

While in the Philippines, we had a family picture taken. The only one not included in the picture is Ramon, Menchie's older brother, who could not come to Manila from Kidapawan. Top row from left to right: Maxwell, Nuri, Munirih, Maricel, Roland, and Lolo Max. Bottom from left to right: Maarten, Menchie, Enna-Marie, Loftiness, Tatutz, Tabriz, and Lola Ping.

The picture above is of Lolo Max and Lola Ping and their five grandchildren. Nuri and Munirih are Maricel and Roland's children, and are 21 and 18 years old respectively. Tabriz and Loftiness are Tatutz and Ramon's children and are 5 and 4 years old respectively. The latest addition to the club is Enna-Marie!

More pictures from the trip...

At Ramin and Cathelijne's place in Urdaneta Village, Makati where we stayed for two nights before going to Villa Escudero

Group photo with some National Spiritual Assembly members at the National Bahá'í Centre in Manila

At Mr. and Mrs. Samaniego's place in Los Banos, Laguna, they have a beautiful garden which is well maintained.

Enna-Marie with Tito Maxwell

We were invited for dinner, Mom and Mr. and Mrs. Samaniego are long time friends.

Group photo before we leave. L-R: Maarten, Lola Ping, Mrs. Fe Samaniego, Mr. Vic Samaniego, and Menchie

We met with Menchie's good friend Maria with her family at SM Fairview. They both worked in Bankard for some years.

We also met Menchie's friends in college for dinner at Jack's Loft in SM North Edsa

From left to right: Cathy, Mona and Menchie. Far left is Albert, Lia's son.

From left to right: Maarten, Aurea and Lia. Far right is Lia's sister Marie.

Group picture before having coffee.

Maarten sharing the Faith to everyone.

Reunion from Balundo side of the family. We had some delicious Filipino food that Ate Imelda and her children prepared for us.

My dear friend Juvy treated us for dinner at DAD's 'eat all you can' restaurant in SM Megamall (I missed this mall where I always pass by after work before).

At DAD's they treat you with live band singing with any song request.

We tried their sushis...

...and delicious 'Halo-halo' dessert meaning mixture of different stuff like beans, corn, banana, kaong, gulaman, langka, leche flan and ube on top, it's Menchie's favorite...and now Maarten's too.


Maarten, Enna-Marie and Tita Juvy enjoying the food and music.

Saying goodbye is not an easy thing...this was our last moment with Lola Ping, Tita Cel, and Tito Maxwell when they brought us to the airport.

Villa Escudero

We spent the weekend in the beautiful resort Villa Escudero. We arrived Friday morning after a two hour bus journey from Manila. The resort is located near San Pablo in Laguna province. Upon arrival we were taken to our hut in a Karabau-and-cart, and afterwards had lunch at the bottom of a little waterfall, with our feet and the tables and chairs in the river. We basically just slept, ate and swam during our 24-hour stay in the villa, and we greatly enjoyed it! Here are some pictures to give an impression.

Beautiful palm trees surround the park. In the distance a mountain can be seen.
Upon arrival the Karabau-driven cart took us to our quarters.
Lunch at the foot of the waterfall with our feet wet!
Maxwell and Valerie enjoying a swim together...
Dinnertime in Villa Escudero.
Enjoying the beautiful riverside view.
Enna-Marie enjoying the children's pool with Lola...
...and clearly not so much enjoying the jacuzzi with dad...
Climbing stairs is THE thing to do these days!
On the way out of the park, enjoying live music in the Karabau-and-cart!

SM Mall of Asia

On Saturday we enjoyed a shopping trip to the (currently) fourth largest mall in the world, the SM Mall of Asia, which opened in May of last year in Manila. The mall is located close to Roxas boulevard, next to Manila bay, and features an IMAX theater, a skating rink and even a dolphinarium! Despite the fact that there are so many people in the mall, it somehow never felt too crowded. We enjoyed roaming around and having coffee in Starbucks afterwards.

The mall has 600 shops and 150 restaurants, and some 5,000 parking spaces. To give you an idea of how busy it actually is, it took us an hour to get from the sixth floor parking level to the front of the building at the end of the day (which was 22.00 hrs. in the evening). Menchie's good friend Mina brought us home to Novaliches afterwards, which was still another hour and a half drive away...

Menchie, Maarten & sleeping Enna-Marie underneath a giant Christmas tree
Menchie and mom
Skating rink in the mall
Menchie and her college friend Pinky (next to Menchie) and her daughter Denise
With a gameboy around her neck no doubt one of the worlds youngest gamers :)
Menchie's bestfriend Mina with Enna-Marie
Mina's two sons Carl (9) and Carmello (4)