Our Day at Villa Escudero Pantation with the Family

Papa with Conner, Abigail and Caleb in front of a residence on the

Plantation.

Our Carabao cart ride...about to begin.  Not a very good picture.

It is a picture of the picture they took!

Here is the man-made waterfall at the restaurant where we were

served lunch.  We actually walked down into several inches of 

water to our tables.  You can see Conner, Caleb and Abigail 

standing at the foot of the waterfall.  One of the long tables can

be seen down by their feet.

You can see the tables a little better...and that the kids are getting 

a little more brave ( and wet)!

Here is the Buffet area where we came and served ourselves on

straw plates lined with fresh, green banana tree leaf cut round.  It

was good food and very typical native Philippine cuisine. 

I am sorry this picture is dark, but you can appreciate the fun 

atmosphere we had for lunch.  We all really enjoyed it!

Here is another section of the restaurant.

We got another carabao ride to the cultural dance show.

This is the open theater where we watched the Philippine Cultural

Dance and Music performance.

The start of the show...

Music makers for the dancers...

They are wonderful at balancing things on their heads as they dance.

How about this balancing act?

I interpreted this dancer was supposed to be looking for a wife.

He is trying to get to know them individually it seems.

This was a fun one.  They are warriors dancing with fans & knives.

This was an energetic couple that was fun to watch.

Another dance with fans.  They seem to be preparing the royal bride.

This has a Spanish influence.

Don't you love all the wonderful costumes.  Notice the 

coconut shell hat and his pina cloth shirt?  

This is a string orchestra to bring music to the dance display.

This was one of the favorite dances.  The coconut shells are 

strategically placed, they have one in each hand and strike the 

other shells on their body with fun movement and clicking rhythm. 

Here is a close up view of one of the coconut shell dancers.

They are so quick and full of rhythm. 

Another balancing dance with light candles in a vase this time!

Now it's glasses of water.  They are up, down and rolling around.

Very interesting!

Here she goes...round and round!  Quite amazing.

I wish I had gotten a better picture of these dancers using the 

bamboo sticks.  They hop back and forth as they click the sticks 

together and then on the ground in a rhythm (called Tinikling).  

They get faster and faster.  They are so quick on their feet while 

maintaining good posture.  It is fun to watch.  One thing they did 

during this dance, is act out a cock fight with real roosters.  

It didn't settle too well with me, so I didn't snap any pictures of 

that part.  The kids loved it.

Pagsanjan Falls with the Family March 2012

Three happy campers ready for an adventure...

Here we are getting ready to load on the canoes to go UP river to 

the Pagsanjan Falls!  Grant, Conner, Abigail, Layne, Caleb, 

Me and President!

Here is Elder Roxas with Grant in their canoe.  You can

see Elder Cortez, Sister Packer and Elder Packer in their

canoe in the background.

Abigail, Caleb in background, Me and Layne excited to

get going!

Caleb, Conner and Papa (President) getting ready to start!

Here we go!!

This is our front end boatman.  We have another one in the rear.

As you can see, there are many rocks in our way and we are going

up stream.  He (and I am sure the one on the back did the same) 

had to jump up and push off the rocks to avoid them.  Sometimes,

he even got completely out of the canoe and pulled us!  Now we

know why they only allowed two or three passengers per canoe!

We made it to the falls!  It took about an hour to get there, because

of going "up stream".  It only took 30 minutes to go back.

Just another shot by the falls.  You see the raft down there to the 

left?  Layne, Conner, Caleb and Abigail are going to brave a 

ride on one of those over to the falls.

Here they go!  Layne is kind of hidden on the far left.  You can see

Abigail, Caleb and Conner waving as they go.  The rope is

what guides them over to the falls.

Getting closer...

They made it!  This is for those who really want to get wet!!  

Can you see them in there?  They loved it!

They are on their way back!

Okay...They are really feeling brave.  They're getting on their feet!

They made back okay.  What a trip!

The kids were so happy and proud that they braved the trip.  We

hope that their moms are okay with it when they see these pictures!

Family Visiting Us in Philippines March 2012

They made it!  After 20 hr. trip and it being 2:00 am, I'd say 

they look pretty good!  This is two of our sons with three 

of our grandchildren. From the left...Caleb (9), Grant, 

our first born and father to Conner & Abigail, Conner (12), 

Abigail (10), and our 3rd son, Layne, who is Caleb's father.  

Here we are ready to board the little boat taking us to Pagbilao 

beach.  My grandchildren are pictured here with the sisters that 

make the arrangements for the trip.  There is a fisherman in their 

ward that charges a small fee to take us. From the left is Conner, 

Sister Escalona, Abigail, Caleb, and Sister Sagaysay.

Caleb & Conner enjoying the boat ride to the beach!

Cute Abby!

               Father/daughter...Abigail & Grant

Conner & Papa being brave!

                  Layne joined Conner & Caleb.

In the Cave...Layne, Abigail, Caleb & Conner.

  Our faithful sisters, Sister Sagaysay and Sister Escalona.

Grandma Kathryn & Abigail seashell hunting.

Beautiful Pagbilao beach!  See the hut where we picniced?

You can see some of the huts that lost roofs in the last storm!

This is what we came back to...after our visit to Pagbilao.  

A little different feel to it, huh?

Our trail back to the car.

Some of the visitors where we parked.

  Brother John got us each a buco (young coconut) with 

straws to drink from them.  Here is Layne with his.  He

then cracked them open so everyone could taste the soft

           coconut meat inside.  It was delicious!

Conner and Layne amid the crowd

Dinner that night at Larxions...Barbique Chicken, Rice, 

                   Pansit and buco shakes! 

Shopping at the mall in Lipa.  Layne Abigail & Caleb.

Grant and Conner looking out of the Tricycle.  We drove to the 

San Pablo SM mall and took a Tricycle ride to the Palangki.  Fun!

Grandma Kathryn riding with Abigail...We had a really nice Tricycle!

Abigail and I taking a picture in the mirror inside the Tricycle!!

Working with the Sisters March 2, 2012

Another wonderful day working with the sisters!  I am pictured 

here with Sister Rombaoa and Sister Salon.  This picture 

was taken after THREE tricycle rides!  Not too good on the hair!  

We had some humble homes to visit in Antimonan.

Working with the Sisters March 1, 2012

Here I am working with Sister Pruden (on the left) and Sister Paul Raj.  Sister Pruden is new to the mission and still in her 12-week training period and doing very well.  Sister Paul Raj is her trainer.  We visited two families that were less active and were very receptive to the sweet sisters lessons.  I love working with the sisters!

The Bennetts Going Home, February 29, 2012

Our dear senior couple, Elder and Sister Bennett are going home.  

They were both having some medical problems, but he especially

 was advised to go home to have a serious hernia taken care of.  

The recuperation time would be several months so the Area 

Medical Adviser, Elder Borhme, told him he should take care of 

it at home.  We will miss them terribly.  They were such an 

asset to this mission.  The missionaries apartments were all getting 

the proper attention and they were sharing the gospel with literally

 everyone they met.  They are a very loving couple who will be 

missed by all!

Our last picture with the Bennetts in the Philippines.  They will be

 our friends forever, though.  You can see it was a little hard for

 Sister Bennett to be her happy self!

Elder Jessee going home. February 25, 2012

Here we are with Elder Jessee at the airport in Manila.  His illness returned and the Area Medical Adviser and Doctors working with him recommend that he "change his environment".  So, he is going home to try and get well again and get reassigned somewhere in the states.  We grew to love Elder Jessee and are so sad he won't get to finish his mission here with us.  He is a great, hard-working missionary!  He will be a blessing to another mission president somewhere.  We will miss him!

The APs, Elder Cortez and Elder Roxas with Elder Jessee in the middle.  They are going to miss him too.  They even wore their suits to see Elder Jessee off at the airport...And it is very hot for a suit here!!