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Tag: Ethan

Ethan is in Grade 9 and does taekwondo, getting stronger and more confident every time he steps onto the mat. He’s also the big brother the twins look up to. Here are all his family moments.

  • Our Splash Day at Aqua Planet

    Our Splash Day at Aqua Planet

    Yesterday we packed the car, turned up the music and drove to Clark for a full day at Aqua Planet. The road trip playlist kept everyone singing until we saw the big “Aqua Planet” sign, and of course we stopped for a family photo first.

    Road trip selfie in the car on the way to Clark

    Easy check-in with Klook

    We booked our tickets on Klook ahead of time, and it made arriving so easy. We went straight to the line marked “Online Booking,” showed the QR code Klook had emailed us, and the staff scanned it in seconds. Then they gave each of us an RFID wristband. No long queue at the ticket counter, just scan and go.

    Family photo at the Aqua Planet sign
    Selfie in front of the Aqua Planet sign
    Family at the Aqua Planet entrance arch in Clark
    The family together at the Aqua Planet arch

    Wristbands, a big locker and a waterproof pouch

    Those wristbands turned out to be really handy. We rented a big locker, about ₱500, for all our bags and clothes, and the wristband became the locker key. Nothing to hold, nothing to lose in the water.

    We also bought a waterproof pouch for ₱609 so our phones and small things wouldn’t get wet. It was worth it, because we could take photos all day without worrying.

    The brave ones on the big slides

    Three of the kids went straight for the extreme water slides, and they tried almost all of them.

    Stephen was brave too. He kept trying new rides, even the ones he wasn’t sure about at first.

    Splashdown! The kids landing together after a raft slide.
    Splashdown! The kids landing together after a raft slide.
    One more splashdown with the whole crew.
    One more splashdown with the whole crew.
    Back in the water for one more ride.
    Back in the water for one more ride.

    The Aqua Planet Vertical Drop Slide

    The biggest moment of the day was Ethan on the vertical drop slide. It took 30 minutes of Basti convincing him, cheering him on and staying by his side. Then Ethan finally went for it. We’re so proud of him. It’s the kind of brave you remember long after the day is over.

    Colorful water slides at Aqua Planet
    The extreme water slide tower at Aqua Planet
    Basti in the capsule, waiting for the vertical drop.
    Basti in the capsule, waiting for the vertical drop.
    Basti’s turn on the vertical drop.

    The twins’ happy place

    The twins had an excellent time in the lazy river and the wave pool. They floated, splashed and jumped over the waves again and again, and they didn’t want to get out.

    The twins at the I ❤️ Aqua Planet arch.
    The twins at the I ❤️ Aqua Planet arch.
    Dad and son in a life vest at the Aqua Planet wave pool

    Lunch break: chicken, spaghetti and fries

    At lunch we got the park’s meal package: a bucket of fried chicken, spaghetti and fries. After all that swimming, everyone was starving, and the bucket was empty in no time. It was the perfect break before the kids ran back to the water.

    Family lunch selfie under the umbrellas at Aqua Planet
    Lunch break at the table at Aqua Planet
    Family lunch under the umbrellas at Aqua Planet

    Daddy’s turn to relax

    While the kids took on the slides, Daddy finally got to relax by the wave pool and just enjoy watching everyone have fun.

    Mom and Dad relaxing at the Aqua Planet wave pool

    Videos from Our Splash Day

    Wendy’s and a quiet ride home

    We ended the day with a stop at Wendy’s on the way home. By then the kids were sooo tired, but every one of them said they enjoyed it.

    Dinner at Wendy's. Tired, but still smiling.
    Dinner at Wendy's. Tired, but still smiling.

    Quick tips for Aqua Planet Clark

    • Book your tickets on Klook and use the “Online Booking” line for a fast check-in.
    • Rent a locker; your RFID wristband works as the key.
    • Bring or buy a waterproof pouch for your phone (ours was ₱609).
    • The lunch package of fried chicken, spaghetti and fries is enough to share.
    • Check park hours and updates on the official Aqua Planet website.

    Days like this are why we keep these moments. Thank you, Aqua Planet, for a day full of brave firsts and big smiles.

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  • Sky and Ethan’s First Taekwondo Lesson

    Sky and Ethan’s First Taekwondo Lesson

    The first taekwondo lesson

    On Friday, October 9, Sky and Ethan stepped onto the mats for their very first taekwondo lesson. The room had red and blue foam mats on the floor and a long wall of mirrors, so every stretch and stance showed up twice.

    They didn’t have uniforms yet. While the other kids were in white doboks, our two joined in their regular clothes: Ethan in a grey shirt, Sky in a striped long-sleeve. They went right onto the mat with everyone else.

    What they did

    Class started the way most sports do, with stretching. The two of them sat side by side on the mat, legs out, reaching for their toes and keeping an eye on how the older students did it.

    Then everyone stood up for drills. The coach, in a black belt, taught them how to do a 45 kick, and they practiced it with the rest of the class. After that, they did some sparring with the other kids. To end the class, everyone lined up, held up the blue mats and posed for a group photo.

    Ethan

    Ethan, in the grey shirt, didn’t wait long to try things out. In one photo, you can see him in the mirror already holding a stance while Sky stands beside him.

    Sky

    Sky, in stripes, spent part of the class watching the older kids practice their kicks in sparring vests, and also got to spar with the other kids.

    How it went

    For a first class, it went well. Both of them showed up, stretched, learned the 45 kick, sparred with the other kids and stayed until the end of class. We’re proud of them both for giving something new a try.

    Photos

    Ethan and Sky stretching on the mats at their first taekwondo class
    Ethan and Sky standing on the mats, ready for their first taekwondo lesson
    Sky and Ethan in the mirror, waiting for their turn in taekwondo class
    Sky watching the coach during kicking drills at his first taekwondo class
    The taekwondo class holding up blue mats for a group photo.

    More family moments

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  • Where Are We Now?

    Where Are We Now?

    Hi everyone, it’s been a while, so here’s a family update!

    Our last post here was back in 2021. If you scroll down far enough, you’ll find the twins’ baby shower, their baptism and their very first photoshoot, from back when the biggest news in our house was a new set of tiny socks. Life got busy after that, as it does, and this little corner of the internet went quiet. We missed it, though. Looking back at those old posts reminded us why we started this site: so we’d never forget the small moments that turned out to be the big ones.

    So before we start posting again, here’s a catch-up on where everyone is now.

    Our family today, out at the movies

    Where everyone is now: our family update

    The Reyes family at the movies, 2026

    Basti, 17

    Our eldest is now in college! Basti is a freshman at De La Salle University, taking Business Management. It still feels strange to say “college” out loud. It feels like yesterday he was the one helping us hold his baby siblings, and now he’s the one with his own schedule, his own plans and his own big decisions. We’re very proud of him.

    Ethan, 14

    Ethan is in Grade 9 and has been doing taekwondo. It’s been great to watch him grow stronger and more focused, and a little more confident every time he steps onto the mat. He’s also become a big brother the twins really look up to.

    Stephen, 12

    Stephen is in Grade 7, after his Moving Up ceremony last April. These days he’s our proud homebody. If there’s a choice between going out and staying in, you already know which one Stephen picks. Every family needs someone who keeps the home warm, and he’s happily taken the job.

    Sky and Chloe, 8

    Our twins turn 9 this December, which we can hardly believe, since this website literally began with their baby shower. Sky, older by a few minutes, does taekwondo like his Kuya Ethan, so now we have two in the family. Chloe, our only girl, loves drawing and painting, and we’re looking for art classes for her. She also does yoga with Mommy Dimple, which has become their own special time together.

    What’s next for the site

    We’re starting to post again! Expect new photos, family trips, events, school milestones, and the everyday moments in between. Some will be big celebrations and some will just be a regular Saturday at home, but they’re all worth remembering.

    Thank you for still being here after all this time. See you in the next post!

    With love,
    Mommy Dimple, Daddy Paolo, Basti, Ethan, Stephen, Sky and Chloe

    More family moments

    See more of Chloe · See more of Mommy Dimple · See more of Ethan · See more of Daddy Paolo · See more of Basti · See more of Sky · See more of Stephen

  • Arriving at Changi Airport Terminal 1 with Kids: Our Family Vacation Begins

    Arriving at Changi Airport Terminal 1 with Kids: Our Family Vacation Begins

    After our early start at NAIA Terminal 3, we finally landed at Singapore’s Changi Airport Terminal 1 with the kids. Apok and Jaden were on the same flight, so we walked out of the gate together, with Grae too, ready to start our family vacation.

    Landing at Changi T1

    If you’ve flown into Singapore, you know Changi doesn’t feel like a normal airport. The floors are carpeted, the halls are bright and clean, and everything just works. The kids were wide awake after the flight. The little one held a hand and walked through the hall like he owned the place, while the older one pulled a suitcase piled high with bags and still had energy to look around.

    After all the packing and the early call time in Manila, it felt good to finally be in Singapore, all of us together, with a few days ahead to explore before the cruise.

    Young boy holding an adult's hand while walking through the arrival hall at Singapore Changi Airport
    Boy pulling a suitcase piled with red and beige bags through Changi Airport after landing in Singapore
    Family walking with their luggage through the carpeted arrival hall at Singapore Changi Airport
    The kids on the move through the Changi Airport arrival hall.

    Our First Stop: the Jewel Changi Rain Vortex

    We didn’t rush out to the city. Instead, we stayed and roamed around Changi, because the airport has its own tourist spots. The big one, of course, is the Rain Vortex at Jewel.

    The Rain Vortex is a huge indoor waterfall that pours down from the middle of a glass dome, surrounded by trees and plants on every level. Photos don’t do it justice. You hear it before you see it, and once you’re standing in front of it, it’s hard not to just stop and stare. It’s one of those places where everyone, kids and adults, pulls out their phones at the same time.

    If you’re planning a Singapore family trip with a layover or extra time at the airport, Jewel is worth the walk. It’s free to see, it’s indoors, and it’s a great way for kids to stretch their legs after a flight.

    Walking through the indoor gardens at Changi.
    The flower displays and the Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi.

    Feeding the dinosaurs

    Next, we had to feed the dinosaurs. It was a big hit with the kids, and it’s one of the fun surprises you don’t expect to find at an airport. For little ones who’ve been sitting on a plane, a stop like this makes all the difference, and the grown-ups had just as much fun watching them.

    A nostalgic lunch at A&W

    Then it was time to eat again, and this time it had to be A&W.

    This one meant a lot to us. Apok and I used to eat at A&W along Makati Avenue when we were young, so sitting down at an A&W in Singapore, years later and with our own kids beside us, was a very nostalgic moment. Medyo mahal lang dito, but it was absolutely worth it for the memories. Burgers, the famous root beer float and family all around: it felt like going back in time, just in a different country.

    It was a new experience for the kids too. For them it was just a fun lunch with their family. For us, it was a little piece of our childhood that we got to share with them.

    A big thank you to Mamita Rosana for sponsoring part of our lunch!

    Tips for visiting Changi Airport with kids

    If you’re flying into Singapore with children, here’s what worked for us:

    • Don’t leave the airport right away. Changi is a destination on its own, so give yourself a few hours to walk around.
    • See the Rain Vortex at Jewel. It’s indoors, free to visit and great for photos.
    • Plan a food stop. The kids will be hungry after the flight, and there are plenty of choices, including A&W.
    • Travel together if you can. Flying with Apok and Jaden made the whole day feel special.

    What’s Next: A Few Days in Singapore

    We spent a couple of days in Singapore before the Disney Adventure cruise, and it all started right here at Changi Airport: a giant waterfall, a few hungry dinosaurs and a nostalgic A&W lunch. Not a bad first day at all.

    #familybestmoment #changiairport #rainvortex #AandWBurgersAndFloat #travelmoments

    More family moments

    See more of Chloe · See more of Ethan · See more of Basti · See more of Sky · See more of Stephen

  • Off to Singapore and the Disney Adventure Cruise: Our Family’s Midnight Trip to NAIA Terminal 3

    Off to Singapore and the Disney Adventure Cruise: Our Family’s Midnight Trip to NAIA Terminal 3

    June 12, 2026 was the day our Family BEST Moments kids had been waiting for. We left the house at 12 AM, and Basti, Ethan, Stephen and the Twins, Chloe and Sky, arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 sleepy but excited, bags packed for our family trip to Singapore and the Disney Adventure cruise.

    All set at NAIA Terminal 3

    Family at NAIA Terminal 3 departure area with the Philippine flag behind, ready for Singapore
    Ready to go at NAIA Terminal 3, Pasay City.

    Sleepy eyes or not, the kids were already in vacation mode. There was a quick snack before boarding and plenty of waiting-at-the-gate fun.

    A quick snack at NAIA Terminal 3 before the flight.
    Waiting at the gate in NAIA Terminal 3.

    On board: Manila to Singapore for the Disney Adventure cruise

    Once on the plane, the selfies started right away: window seats, big smiles and lots of laughs with Lola. Then it was clouds all the way to Singapore.

    Kids smiling in their seats after boarding at NAIA Terminal 3 for Singapore
    Boy in glasses waving from his plane seat on the flight from Manila to Singapore
    Two boys smiling by the plane window on the flight to Singapore
    Boy looking out the plane window before take-off from NAIA Terminal 3
    Lola in sunglasses with a grandson on the plane to Singapore
    Lola and two grandsons laughing together on the flight to Singapore
    Young boy grinning in his plane seat, Singapore and Disney Adventure cruise bound
    Lola in sunglasses smiling on the plane from Manila to Singapore
    View of clouds and the plane wing on the flight from Manila to Singapore

    Thank you, Mamita Rosana

    A big thank you to Mamita Rosana Balagtas Hugo for sponsoring some of the cruise, hotel, food and land transport costs for our family and the ApokMs family. Sayang ayaw mong sumama, ang saya saya ng mga bagets!

    Singapore and the Disney Adventure cruise, here we come. ✈️🚢

    #familybestmoments #SingaporeBound #DisneyAdventureCruiseBound #VacationModeOn #thankyoumamita

    More family moments

    See more of Chloe · See more of Ethan · See more of Basti · See more of Sky · See more of Stephen

  • The Twins’ Baptismal Ceremony

    The Twins’ Baptismal Ceremony

    The Twins’ Baptismal Ceremony

    Last March 4, 2018, was the twins’ baptism: Chloe and Sky were finally baptized in Christ The King Parish Church where Basti, Ethan and Stephen were also baptized. 

    The Twins’ Baptismal Ceremony

    Just like the 3 older boys prepared the twins’ white Baptismal clothes and hired someone to decorate the Baptismal candles which also served as souvenirs to the Godparents.

    The Twins’ Baptismal Ceremony

    Twins baptism at Christ the King Parish: everything doubled

    However, the Twins’ Baptism is extra special because everything is double. Daddy Paolo became more involved because unlike before where I was the only one who was carrying the baby to be baptized, he was carrying one of the Twins last March 4.

    The Twins’ Baptismal Ceremony

    We were able to actively participate in baptism because we were carrying the Twins throughout the ceremony — from the Gospel reading to the lighting of candles, anointing of oil, and pouring of the Holy Water.

    The Twins’ Baptismal Ceremony

    Special thanks to Chloe’s and Sky’s Godparents for attending the Baptismal ceremony even If It was on a Sunday

    The Twins’ Baptismal Ceremony
    The Twins’ Baptismal Ceremony

    Thank you very much to our family members as well.

    Family and relatives at the twins' baptism, two of them each holding a baby in white, in front of a painting of a baptism

    Finally, I would like to thank our San Juan Photography for taking this nice family shot

    outside the church (we were not able to do this in previous baptismal ceremony of the 3 older boys). Thank you very much!

    Paolo and Dimple each holding one of the twins in white, sitting on the grass with three boys in between them

    More family moments

    See more of Chloe · See more of Mommy Dimple · See more of Ethan · See more of Daddy Paolo · See more of Basti · See more of Sky · See more of Stephen

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  • Christmas Caroling For a Cause 2017

    Christmas Caroling For a Cause 2017

    This year 2017, the foundation called “Alay sa mga may Kapansanan” which raise funds for people with physical disabilities approached us to do Christmas caroling for a cause, performing for our family on December 15, 2017.

    Christmas caroling for a cause: the songs

    When they arrived, the all-girls ensemble was in matching Red costumes and silver and beige shoes.

    They sang several Chrismas Songs like Feliz Navidad and Rockin Around the Christmas Tree; and upbeat songs like Oh Carol, Mr. Postman and I wanna dance with somebody.

    The Basti, Ethan and Stephen enjoyed the   caroline though they don’t know most of the old songs. We (DimPao) also enjoyed listening and watching the volunteers as they sing and dance for the benefit of people with physical disabilities.

    It is also nice to be able to help our less fortunate brothers and sisters while enjoying the sound of Chrismas and other upbeat songs.

    Check out the link below the video of Christmas Caronline 2017.

    More family moments

    See more of Ethan · See more of Basti · See more of Stephen

  • Twins’ Baby Shower Gift Opening

    Twins’ Baby Shower Gift Opening

    One day after the Twins’ Baby Shower, Kuya Basti and Kuya Ethan helped Mommy Dimple opened the gifts for the twins.

    Twins baby shower gifts, from practical to cute

    Since Chloe and Sky are registered in SM Gift Registry, Mommy Dimple like most of the baby shower gifts; from practical and useful things (like diapers, baby bottle warmer, baby bed foam, and microwaveable steamer), to cute and unique things (like the mermaid baby blanket and teeth and umbilical cord wooden container).

    Thank you to the Godparents and guests who spend time buying gifts from our baby registry. Special thanks to those who gave money as well,

    More family moments

    See more of Chloe · See more of Mommy Dimple · See more of Ethan · See more of Basti · See more of Sky

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  • A Relaxing Family Swim

    A Relaxing Family Swim

    One day after the baby shower, Basti, Ethan, and Stephen invited their cousins (Jaden, Terrence, Akio, and Nathan) to have a family staycation with us and swim in the swimming deck.

    Our family staycation swim, pool to pool

    The kids enjoyed swimming in the different pools, from the kiddie pool to the adult lap pool even to the cold jacuzzi.

    The boys transferred to the different pools and had a relaxing day.

    More family moments

    See more of Ethan · See more of Basti · See more of Stephen

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