2015

We’ve always celebrated Media Noche grand and bigger compared to Noche Buena, maybe because we never really had a big Noche Buena even way back. We don’t really stay up late on Christmas Eve rather we’re excited to wake up at dawn to check if Santa left something for us.

*our “field trip” going to Divi market 🙂

On December 31^st it’s a tradition that we’ll drove to Divi Market amidst the threat of traffic and crowd, we can’t miss that yearly activity of hoarding cheap fruits and veggies and even fireworks from the streets of Juan Luan & Ylaya. We can’t afford the overpriced supermarket tag during this season so it’s really an effort for us to squeeze the city drive to make our New Year Eve’s festive and truly exceptional among other occasions. So, after picking up 13 rounded shape fruits (said to bring good fortune), some more vegetables and chestnuts and doughnuts, we queued at Contis to get our box of cakes and later on to S&R to get some cheese. We found ourselves dining at the nearby McDonald’s before we finally drove home. Well, it was worth the trip because we got everything we need in one pace.

Arriving home was a busier sight; we need everything prepared before the big leap, my sister commissioned the boys to perfect the pork bbq, including our favorite baby back ribs and some giant TJ hotdogs, yes, and they’re giant and not your ordinary jumbo. 😀 The kitchen was busy with two pasta dish being readied; of course the matriarch didn’t miss to cook her signature pancit canton and “palitaw”. We had to set up 2 tables this year because the customary buffet table was loaded with everything, the second table was filled with sweets, wines and cheese and…that distorted Salted Caramel Cake we got from Contis, sayang it was so divine-looking pa naman, nonetheless it tasted really good and we don’t mind getting the same cake again albeit the sad-fate of our cakes every New Year. I think we need a good chiller or probably a bigger travel cooler to avoid this from happening every year. The other cake we got, Black Velvet, made it to our buffet table in perfect form.

The household never sleeps. It’s a directive, at least at our household, that everyone must be up during this occasion. No one gets to sleep in lullaby until the firecrackers and fireworks and horns get into the deep of your ear, loud banging music at the stroke of midnight welcoming the New Year. So even the house helps remained wide and awake and somewhere in limbo because its way their sleeping time. While I remained in high spirit like the past years, excited like a kid to welcome 2015.

The kids, they’re equally excited

…and the dogs, they’re agitated 😦 except for my big B who’s more annoyed of the cracking sound outside while our little pup was clueless of what will happen next.

*Astro’s first of the many NY to come, brace yourself little one! 

Then, 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1! Happy 2015! 🙂

We lit fireworks and some firecrackers (?) as we join the multitude chase off the bad luck and hold close whatever good fortune this New Year will bring. We silently wished and prayed for fresh beginnings, continued blessing and closer family ties, good health and a good amount of resources to aid whatever project will set off this year, well, I have more than a truck full of wishes and wants and hopes and every year the list keep coming but seriously, I have to ask for a bigger and better 2015, a different perspective, a career move (?) which I think should set forward this time, and a lot of things new to wash away the old (including new set of clothes, shoes, bags, etc…ssshhh!).

A happy and prosperous 2015 to all!

😛 🙂 😀 ♥

#latepost

 

happy birthday dadi ♥

I know, I know I got tons of backlogs and its piling up other than today is yet another special day I couldn’t miss, so I’m writing shortly for the love of my life.

I couldn’t stop the time from ticking, us from getting old each year, but as we do may we value more the importance of health, love and family. May we grow in faith each day, may we learn to value even the little things around and count our blessings happily.

Dear husband, I wish you’d stay the same person, even annoying and bully boy at times. I wish you’d stay thoughtful and caring and loving, even if you’re not showy at all. May this year bring you more patience, more peace and more money (so, Momi can shop-all-you-can). Seriously, I wish you good luck in whatever endeavor you’d consider, I’ll be forever supportive because that’s what wives are made for.

Happy Happy Birthday ‘Ney! ♥

 

Your growing family,

Momi, Bea, Lucky Boi & Astro Boi

 

 

P.S. Treat me to a decent dinner later, oki 🙂

 

a merry christmas|2014

And so it’s Christmas…

We were home in Cavite on Christmas Eve even if the 24^th was already a holiday, you know that last minute Christmas rush, the holidays wouldn’t be complete and happy without it anyway. Say that we even managed to have dinner at S&R Macapagal despite the store closing early that night, I feel so Christmas already with clam chowder, so babaw lang! 😀 And for a moment I thought we’d spent Christmas on the road once again because the husband ran out of gas, it’s a lesson learned, never take chances because most gasoline stations closes early on Christmas Eve and I bet it’s the same on New Year’s Eve. Arriving home, we had to rush wrapping some more gifts so it’d be ready in the morning. We forced the kids to sleep early so dear Santa can finally drop off his presents, the bigger kiddo a.k.a. SAM was snooping the entire night. Well, I think she’s at that stage right now where she just needs to believe to old Saint Nicholas so she can get her wish without any tough ordeal.

Like the past Christmases, we need to be up early for the traditional gift opening, well, the kids of course were the star of our Christmas and their huge and expensive gifts.

And what do you know, Santa was extra generous this year because I got a box too, for the first time in many years my Christmas present came just in time for Christmas Day and my smile was ear to ear. 😛

I also got the kids initial gift (?), so I’d expect a grandeur one from the “Mom & Dad”?

Definitely not our Astro Boi…Big Boi or Pompeii? 

And because I became busy during the last few days of work I had so little time to check the mall for the big B’s gift so she ended up helping Ysabel unwrap her huge box. But my big B had her early Christmas gift as early as November –that three new handsome looking pups was more than enough to make her Christmas a merry one.

Margarita Ysabel, our little miss ♥

Gian Paolo, our still baby boy ♥

Samantha Angela Marie, our fine lady ♥

And what is Christmas without showing off the kiddos new collection, I know it’s too lavish these days especially that some kids doesn’t even have a decent tee to wear or totally with nothing on but we’d just like the kids at our house to experience the same thing we did when my sister and I were growing up –new clothes, new shoes, new toys, etc.

I know my parents were a bit spoiler the reason why we never really felt deprived, and tho it may look extravagant and uncalled for to some, well, haters gonna hate and losers gonna lose more. Sorry, but it’s the season of the year to dress up and be merry and make the kids super happy, so, I think splurging quite this one time shouldn’t draw too many questions and raised eyebrows. 🙂

So, I wouldn’t list anymore what the kids got from Santa, everything is lurve, that’s it!

And like the previous years we have visiting cousins and nephews and nieces on Christmas Day.

We had a decent spread to feed guests even tho we didn’t really observe the customary Noche Buena.

Leoncio and I were able to squeeze a late lunch at Mahogany Market on Christmas Day, first-timers to sample what Mahogany is famed for. We had an order of Bulalo and Caldereta, I’ll give a thumbs up for the flavorful Bulalo from Alegre’s Canteen (as recommended by Jewel during her visit to Tagaytay) other than the Caldereta was a far cry of my very own concoction, love your own, hehehe. We didn’t stay really long at Mahogany, we’re actually there to buy B’s “ulam”, our special treat to her for Christmas –beef ribs for a soupy meal at home.

By eve, we drove back to Tagaytay for the annual coffee feast with the maternal. Traffic was heavier and annoying, even the alternate Mahogany Drive was clogged with too many Christmas goers. I was estimating the time because Leoncio had work the following day and seeing the horrible blockage and all was enough for us to make a turn. We’d probably won’t enjoy too because the favorite coffee shop would be jam-packed, seats would be too hard to reserve especially for a bigger group like us, and coffee would be bland and warm. 😦 I assumed we made a good turn because we ended up to another favorite spot in Tagaytay, thank you Bag of Beans for accommodating us and our last minute requests.

We had bottomless brewed coffee, hot mocha, caramel cappuccino, white mocha, pancakes, lasagna, pizza, burger and their signature raisin loaf and shepherd’s pie.

It was indeed a merry night despite our decreasing number every year. One day we’ll celebrate Christmas in complete attendance once again, I’m dearly hoping.

A Merry Christmas still ♥