Happy second quarter of the year! Happy Easter! :)

Where did you spend the looong weekend?

I used to always go somewhere, wherever, however, come holy week and come summer. For a few years, my restless feet hardly, if never, ever stayed in the Metro on summer weekends. I was always somewhere, if not packing and unpacking coming from somewhere. Climbing some mountain, camping in some hidden cove, frolicking in some "undiscovered" powdery white sand, joining some adventure race up North, racing the dragonboat in the big bay, riding some rickety bus or carpooling with friends to wherever unbeaten track we may end up (either planned or spontaneous).

It helped a lot that as part of the academe, I did not have to worry about Monday or Friday work days. Summer was synonymous to paid breaks and rakets or paid extra curricular projects. And of course, travels. I took long weekends as I pleased and went wherever my not-so-deep pockets afforded me to take.

Oh to be young, single, and [responsibly] carefree.

Now holy weeks and long weekends are for recharging, staycations in posh hotels OR just good ol' staying at home with my guys, away from the horrific The Great Manila Exodus scenarios.

I do miss just a little bit and only fleetingly those hey days. That season of adventure and wandering befitting an outdoorsy lass in her young 20s. But that's just it. No, I don't get glassy eyed wishing I could rewind time and embark on those adventures again. I had my fill back in the days (like that was so long ago, hah!), and I started rather early. No regrets, no pining to live those days again, no feeling that I missed out on anything. 

That was a done chapter, and in as much as I will ever fondly look back and be grateful that I got to write those delightful, colorful, and vivid pages in my book, my new season of "adventure" and wander has evolved and has taken a new, higher form.
 
My new 'hey days' are at my fingertips, my new adventure is the now and the here. It is being with my two boys, creating new forms of colorful, wonderful and delightful memories together, wherever, however. Heck, everyday is an adventure. Everywhere can be an adventure. :)

This year's mini-break was rather memorable even though we only stayed put in the Metro. Here, let me share a few snapshots that offer just a glimpse and don't do justice to our awesome mini-break:


We were able to squeeze in some decent training time over the long weekend! Woot!



We had picnic under the trees, ran in the grass, cruised up and down slopes in the Sunken Garden, walked around the Acad Oval. Thirdy had a terrific time and felt at home in momma and Dad's playground slash beloved University slash second home - UP Diliman.

Even the streets in our neighborhood were not spared from the merrymaking:


Why do you have to end, long weekend? Good luck to jumping back to the ever-at-full-force daily grind. :)