Revisiting Ark Avilon Zoo in Frontera Verde

First month of the year and we have five Fridays pala! =) I was supposed to publish this feature yesterday but my computer was not cooperating and I didn't feel too good either. Hence, no Friday post. Boo-hoo! Still, I'll follow my Freestyle Friday theme -- anything goes, more photos less text. If you're confused about what I'm writing about, click here to get an idea. Anyhow, good timing naman kasi I wanted to feature our most recent trip to Ark Avilon Zoo and what you can expect to see there now.

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Fun Friday: Oreo Playdate at Fun Farm in Sta. Elena

Third Friday of the month:  Travel / Recreation

It was a school holiday last Feburary 25 so it's a perfect day to set out for Laguna and bring the "Oreo families" to the farm.  The Sta. Elena Fun Farm in Cabuyao is a favorite back-to-nature recreational destination, making it the ideal venue for our playdate and bring the whole gang for a day of outdoor adventure with Oreo.

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Fun Friday: Day Tour of Yoki's Farm and Balay Indang in Cavite

Third Friday of the month:  Travel / Recreation / Leisure

We have not been back to Tagaytay since last summer, and whenever we get the chance to visit the cool city for the south, we grab it.  Two weeks ago, we excitedly welcomed an invitation to stay at Wilson's Place with a tour of Yoki's Farm and Balay Indang for a complete recreational experience for the whole family.

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Hamster Tales: Sleep Series

Sarap ng tulog!

I've been sharing snapshots of our little pets since we had our first pair in July last year.  In the past few months, I fancied taking photos of them with my iPhone while they're asleep, and you may have seen some of them on my Instagram (click on the first four photos). I tagged them as #JMhamstertales. I captioned my posts with the Tagalog phrase, "sarap ng tulog" - an expression where you see someone who is sleeping soundly.  These hamsters just looked so doped -- well, some say they looked dead, hahahaha... but I agree, they do!

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Family Friday: Our Lazy Pet Hamsters

Second Friday of the month:  Pets / Kids

First, there was Sushi, then Red, then came Renee and Skyler, nameless hermit crabs, the "shark", and the nameless chicks and duckling.  Today, it's Shadow and Nibbles.  I just made a roll call of all our family pets, past and present.  The family "toys" of the moment are these lazy little hamsters.

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Family Friday: Pets and Kids, part 2

Second Friday of the month:  Home / Kids / Pets

"I want to have a bird for my birthday."
"Did you know birds eat nuts?"
"I want a rainbow bird."

After reading an article about love birds and parakeets to my girl sometime late last year, my girl can't stop reminding us about her wish to have a new pet -- a pet bird for her birthday.

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Fun Friday: Blackout Games and Activities

Third Friday of the month:  Recreation

Typhoon Basyang hit the Philippine shores last Tuesday, affecting most of Luzon. Classes were abruptly suspended by noon. And with heavy rains and howling winds blowing across the region, a power outage surprised the populace minutes past midnight.

While power was restored in some areas after lunch, our part of the city was not as lucky. Our whole Wednesday was spent at home sans electricity -- finally getting power back at exactly 12 midnight as we fanned ourselves to sleep. And for the record, this was not the longest we went without electricity caused by a typhoon.

If there was one good thing that came out of this 24-hour disconnection from the outside world, it was the back-to-basics "organic" activities that we have engaged in with the youngsters.  Honestly, it was a fun and refreshing change away from the internet, playing with electronic gadgets, AND being glued to the television. And just in case you find yourselves in a similar situation, I thought I'd share with you how we got through this recent blackout with these fun games and family bonding activities in the confines of our home.

1. Card & Board Games

Out from under the drawers, the old reliable playing cards found their way back on the table again. You would not even notice the time after several rounds of playing your favorite card games. J and I tried to beat each other at Pusoy Dos (a variation of Poker Big 2).

I would have wanted to play Scrabble though. It was a good time to resurrect classic board games like Monopoly and Scrabble which the whole family could enjoy.

2. Arts & Crafts

Whether with crayons, watercolors or clay, kids always enjoy some creative play. Bring out the artists in them with whatever materials you have at hand.  We took out our stash of clay that afternoon and just allowed the boy and the girl to get their hands (dirty) working as we helped them knead and mold.

My boy loves to draw and always seems to find time to do so everyday. Another "masterpiece" was taped on the wall that afternoon. Most young children enjoy drawing and doodling and parents can join them for some quiet time together. Or leave them alone while you take a break ;)

3. Balls and Trampoline

Does it get any more basic than playing with a rubber ball?  Kick, throw, shoot, dodge. The ball delivers some major fun points. We have a basket full of assorted balls, and with nothing else to do that Wednesday morning, my girl just dug for a ball and started playing her version of soccer with big brother. We just let them do their thing 'til they got tired of it. You will be amazed at what the kids can do with a simple bouncing ball!

And they also took turns jumping on and off the trampoline while thinking of better things to do.

4. Pet Play
We have a bunny. A lone, white bunny that eats (and poops) a lot! We gave Skyler (that's the name of our female bunny) it's much needed exercise and playtime. If you live with pets, then by all means play with them.  Feed them, take them for a walk, teach new tricks, whatever you can do with these adorables. They need some bonding time with you too you know.

5. Gardening

It took a power outage for us to finally pull ourselves together to trim and prune overhanging branches and leaves from our bamboo trees and plants. Very satisfying. Unfortunately for my hubby, he suffered a deep cut on a finger in the process. Ouch!

6. Dolls
Lying around on their beds, these stuffed animals proved to be great company for the tykes. It worked up their vivid imagination as they made up fantasy stories with role playing and had endless conversations between them and their "playmates"...

...until they dropped everything and moved on to playing video games!

7. Handheld Video Games

I know, this is not considered "organic".  As much as I wanted to pull them away from video games, I cannot deny the fact that this is one bonding "recreation" for the papa bear and his cubs. And I hate to admit, but those games they play do provide some creative form of brain exercise. Fun and educational, the Nintendo DSi and iPod Touch have kept them company when it was too dark to play anything. Good thing the gadgets were fully charged before the power outage.

8. Read

You might think it's not a good idea to read amidst a blackout, but while there's still some good amount of light, sit by a window and grab a book, newspaper or magazine.  It was clay for the kids and the morning paper for me. I was able to catch up on current events lionizing the newspaper and even browsed through some back issues that breezy day.

Just being together, even while doing your own thing, is a fool-proof way to relax as a family, blackout notwithstanding.

What would you do in a similar scenario?



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Pets and Kids

Second Friday of the month:  Family and Pets

"Mommy, let's buy an angel fish."
"Daddy, I want a bunny...now!"
"Mommy, let's get a new doggie and I'll name him Buster."

The kids actually said those words.
Since we moved to our current abode two years ago, with our pet poodle in tow, our home has never been lacking of some friendly creatures of all shapes and sizes.

I grew up with a couple of dogs and they made great playmates for me and my bother, and as guard dogs too!  Now that I have kids of my own, I also wanted them to have a similar experience with having their own pets to care for and play with. So here's our pet gallery:


SUSHI. Our first family pet. He is a red toy poodle.

I was really happy that my children got introduced to Sushi at an early age. Well, it was actually the other way around -- Sushi was already with us when the kids were born so it was a bigger adjustment for him! (",)  Being with a dog took out some of the fear from the kids when they encounter other animals. And he proved to be a very sweet and lovable playmate for the tykes.  Sadly, Sushi went on to dog-heaven just before new year's day. He was with us for 8 years.

RED, the Fighting Fish. And RED-2.

My boy was almost 3 when got his first pet fish in 2006, a giveaway from a children's party we attended. He loved it! It was a deep red fighting fish and it came with it's own fish bowl. For obvious reasons, we named him by his color. He never missed peeking in the bowl and enjoyed feeding it fish flakes and breadcrumbs. Red went down the toilet after a year and a half.  Red-2 was for the girl. She got it from my sis-in-law before her 3rd birthday party. It only lived a couple of months.

We also had several tropical fishes that came and went.

HERMIT Crabs, Big one and Small one.

These critters were the most unlucky of our pets. Nameless, we just referred to them as the 'big one' and 'small one'.  I did not even know there was a 'small one' until the shell flipped and they swapped 'houses'!  They arrived as a surprise gift and we were just clueless on how to play and care for them. The kids were just interested with the decorative and fun shells they live in.  They got stiff after a week!  Okay, it was my fault -- I did everything right, except, it never occurred to me to give them a dish of water (bonking my head)!  :-(

SKYLER and RENEE, the bunnies.

Meet Renee, the brown 'boy' bunny, and the white 'girl' bunny named Skyler.  The kids insisted on the gender-bender names.  These super cute and cuddly hoppers are their current 'play things'.  I think it was due to my husband's influence that the girl was nagging me to buy her a bunny after her fish, Red-2, "got sick and died". Note the print on the blouse of my girl.

I was hesitant at first. I was just not ready to take care of another walking animal. But hubby had pet rabbits when he was younger so I trusted him to know more about caring for these adorable creatures. We got the pair last April.

These bunnies proved to be so irresistible, especially for my girl who loves to feed them with green leafy veggies.  But no luck for her brown bunny Renee (4th photo), who did not last a month. We suspected diarrhea.  Bunny rabbits need companions, and so no time to grieve. He was quickly replaced.

Here's Renee-2, a look-a-like (below) with a white streak on his head.  This one also croaked after a few weeks! We're still figuring out if the white bunny, who's grown bigger now, has anything to do with these series of unfortunate events. In the meantime, no replacement for Renee-2.

Having a house pet (or pets) brings a lot joy to any welcoming family. Kids will learn to be responsible for caring and nurturing the pet.  It will teach them to be sensitive and gentle. It will teach them respect and friendship.  But having one is also a big responsibility for the children, as well as the adults.  Parents and kids cannot simply decide on a whim, and here are some points you should consider before bringing home a pet:

• Age of the child - small children must be supervised, older kids should be taught proper pet care
• Safety - kids' safety from animals that may bite or sting, and animal's safety under living conditions you will provide
  
• Allergies that any family member may have - animal hair/fur may aggravate your condition
  
• What kind of animal would fit your household - allocate enough space, indoor or outdoor, neighbor concerns
  
• Cost of caring for the chosen pet - food, shelter/cage, bedding, toys, vet, etc.
  
• Time you can spend with the pet - time to feed, to play and interact, to groom, to clean cages, etc.
• Animal life-span - how to deal or prepare when losing a pet

After a poodle, tens of fishes, a pair of crabs, and brown bunnies, we are now left with two algae eater fish, and a lone white bunny...for now.

If live animals are not your thing, then the stuffed ones can still deliver some cuddle factor.

Aren't they cute? Stuffed replicas of Skyler and Renee that the kids go to bed with.

What's your pet? Or are you ready for one?

You may also want to read my dedicated post for our late poodle Sushi here.
More about rabbits as pets here.
Caring tips for hermit crabs here.

Aquatic pets / Fish:
Pet Zone
Ground Floor, The Promenade
Wilson cor. P. Guevarra St.
San Juan


Dogs, Rabbits, and more:
Bio Research Pet Store
 - SM Megamall
 - Lost Eden Park, Sucat Road, Parañaque

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Clark Field Educational Tour: Zoocobia & Paradise Ranch

I consider being a stay-at-home mom to be a privilege. And one of the perks is that I am able to participate and be involved, whenever I choose to, in my children's school activities.

Aside from the kids' special programs and school events, what I really look forward to are their exposure trips.  No doubt, such trips are great learning experience for the children and bonding opportunity with their parents (if they're allowed to join), aside from building stronger friendships and camaraderie among the students.

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Easter, rabbits, and other creatures from the Ark

"Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again."

Happy Easter to all!

Though we did not make any special plans the whole week, we already had our fun last weekend and I think I still have a slight hangover from that Acuatico family-bonding trip! I'm hoping we can have another out-of-town adventure before the kids go back to school in June.

My children are not fully aware of the significance of Easter yet. Even if they know about Jesus dying on the cross, it is still more an 'eggs and bunny rabbits' day today -- as Easter Eggs and Easter Bunny symbolize new life and rebirth.

Lone white rabbit lost in a sea Guinea pigs

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Tagaytay Family Holiday, Album 2: Paradizoo

Farm Animals, Vegetable Farm, Flower and Evolution Garden, Perpetual Park, Butterfly Garden, Honey Bee Farm, and a host of in-house facilities and activities are available for visitors of all ages in this private-owned zoo and farm.  Welcome to Paradizoo!

What to do and where to go with four kids in tow?  I took a cue from my friend, The Phenomenal Woman, as I found inspiration from her family's Paradizoo experience. So, here's the second installment of our 2009 holiday album.

After checking-in at Taal Vista Hotel and a hearty Pinoy lunch at Leslie's resto-grill, we then drove our way to Paradizoo Theme-Farm in nearby Mendez, Cavite. It was a 20-minute drive from Aguinaldo Highway. The farm is operated by the same owners of the popular Residence Inn & Zoo, another tourist destination in Tagaytay.

The farm was not all that spectacular and scenic, but more of having a provincial rustic charm. Very organic in every sense. So don't expect a modern theme park ambiance as it is really a working farm where a variety of plants and fresh produce are on offer.

First to greet us on the tour was this large dromedary camel. What distinguishes this camel from the ones we usually see in the movies crossing deserts is that this one only has one (1) hump on it's back. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good angle to shoot it's profile to show the single hump. Just for fun, read through the sign below and you may find yourself doing a spell-check ;)

With a friendly guide leading us up and down the path and around the farm, we were introduced to a number of animals we don't commonly see in the city zoo. The tour gave us a better knowledge and appreciation for these friendly creatures as well as the flora and the produce grown on the property.

Mooo, Wagyu -- beef of Japan! 

So this is the famous, and pricey, wagyu -- the melt-in-your-mouth beef cubes / steaks. Sorry, couldn't help but think of the steak when I saw the sign.  It described them as a pure Japanese breed of cattle dating back to 1830, and can live up to 20 years. They are dark, chocolate-brown colored cows that are relatively smaller than their heavier dairy cow brothers/sisters.

'What are they looking at?', you may wonder. Well, we were all waiting for the arrival of the famous Voltes-5!

I'm serious. Really!

Meet Voltes-5, the cow. So, what's so interesting with this cow?

Look closely...closer...closer...

Voltes-5 has a 5th leg!!!  This so-called freak-of-nature cow has an extra leg and hoof dangling on the right side of his front leg.  Thus the name.

We also passed by several goats and kids, hogs and pigs in large pens, geese and chickens freely walking about. Can you spot the shy kid below?

As we cross the field, we spotted a lone scarecrow. I had my sister-in-law pose for a souvenir shot (",)

The farm nurtures a variety of flowers, and grow assorted vegetables for agribusiness.  A few caught my eye, like this 'Mickey Mouse' plant. Also known as Nipple fruit, it has chemical and medicinal properties, and decorative as well.  It looked to me like it's from the tomato family, and seemed like plastic fruits up close.

Getting this close to a bee was a first for me and I was so glad I was able to capture this one as it was pollenating, I guess.

Now correct me if I'm wrong here, but is my imagination running too wild when I thought this looked like The Grinch screaming and pointing a finger towards the sky as it gets frozen as a tree monster?

 

 There was an afternoon drizzle and these cousins still managed to continue with their curious discoveries.

And more wonderful discoveries along the way...

Can you believe these lettuce were like 2 feet high?!

Sss...slithering reptile was camera-ready to pose over our necks when we got to the farm's log cabin. Well, we did not pose with this one if you're wondering.

 

 

We all took a breather from the walking tour and the kids opted to circle around the cabin on rented bikes.

One of the elements in the farm that also caught my eye was their use of solid, natural wood for their tables and chairs, just like the ones found at the log cabin and cafe.  The distressed and antique look of these furniture reflects the Filipiniana theme.

 A golden tree of dried ears of corn stand proud in the field. Pure ingenuity.

These are my favorite shots from the whole trip. Pure emotion captured. My girl was pretty excited to catch a butterfly in the tent but quickly got so scared when it flew straight towards her, not knowing it landed directly on her cap!

Seeing this worm reminded me of one of my girl's favorite book by Eric Carle, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".

And on we went to the bee farm...uhmmm, it was actually a gallery where we got to see and touch a honeycomb. There was also a viewing window of a small colony of bees.

 

The PerPETual Park, or pet cemetery, was totally unexpected yet logical since this is a farm with lots of animals. A most wonderful way to commemorate our dearly departed animal friends.  Sadly, we lost our own pet poodle Sushi when we got home the day after our visit.  Was this coincidence? Creepy.

One of the cutest and most adorable animals I saw in the farm is this miniature pony (?).

Fresh from the farm's wide lettuce patch are these bountiful harvest of crisp greens.  Beside it was a crate of firm green tomatoes also on offer.

Paradizoo Theme-Farm proved to be the perfect choice for our live-wire gang of four, leaving everyone with a fun and unique learning experience that will surely be remembered for a long time. Even for just a day, the bonding time of the cousins are truly priceless.

 

And now they all went quack-ing out of the farm and ready to head back home for some downtime. Goodbye Paradizoo, we had an awesome time. 'Till our next visit!

 

As soon as we left the farm, my parents, my brother and his family drove back home to the city. As for my crew, we headed back to our hotel for more R & R. To be continued... (",)

Move on to Album 3.

Check out our Album 1

Paradizoo Theme-Farm
Km. 63 Panungyan Mendez, Cavite
Tel.:  (046) 413-1244 / 860-2238
Makati Office:
Tel.:  (632) 898-3695

Admission:
Adult - P149
Kids - P99

For tours and inquiries:
Zoomanity Group
3rd Foor, Yupangco Building, 339 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue
Makati City, Philippines
Tel: +63917-8351111

Email: info@zoomanity.com.ph

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