A Night to Remember ( New Year's Eve )

I have grown up with the tradition of starting the year with a bang. And with a bang, I meant a huge celebration and all that fireworks and stuff. In the Philippines, New Year's Eve is one of the highly celebrated holidays aside from Christmas. But since I am 7,000 miles away from my dear family back home, my hubby and I decided to throw our own party with some of his family members and our very close friends. Although we can't celebrate it ala-Filipino style (again, with the fireworks and all that noise) but I guess I can say we definitely welcomed the year filled with food, fun, laughter, pictures, drinking, mingling, and a whole lotta music!

New Year pull-apart cake

finger foods ala carte

hubby, friends, & family by the bar

the crowd waiting for the NYE countdown!

OMEOMY band playing in our basement

snapshot with friends

CHEERS!!!!

This is by far, the biggest party we've had since I've been here in the US. There were a lot of preparations but then again, it was all worth it. I managed to be sober the whole night (as what a good hostess would do) and by 5am, we were off to bed. Seeing all their happy, smiling faces and their laughter filling up our house is like the cherry on top of this last holiday of the year. Now we are ready to brace for what 2012 has in store for us and hoping for those yet to come.

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

" Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? 

     Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne! "

Another year has passed, but it all seemed like it was just yesterday to me. Time really does fly fast, and next thing we know, we're toasting champagne glasses and making noise to welcome the year ahead! As holidays were the busiest time of all, I realized that I haven't had enough time to sit down and write on my blog. And so before 2012 knocks on my door, I won't let this year pass without saying Goodbye 2011. This year has been wonderful and the more I lose track of time, the more lessons I also learn. Life has been good to us. And everyday I am very THANKFUL for all the blessings we received. Every once in a while we have our "moments" but then again, I am thankful for it. For it was those moments that made us who we are today. For every time we fell, we rose. And for every tear we cried, we smiled. And for every pain and loneliness, we find solace and bliss. God has showed us how powerful HE really is, and it is only HE who creates our destiny. It was only when I realized that what I got right now is what I really wanted from the start. And that the more we count our blessings, the less problems we have. 

As I look back and wave goodbye to another friendly year, I never forget the years that passed us by. If only life has a pause button, I'd gladly pause a few days before the end of each year and seize every last moment I have with it. But it will never be that way. So it is time for a new year, a new life, a new resolution. As long as there's always something to look forward to, our journey will always be an exciting one. We don't know what's in store for us in 2012, and all we can do is hope for the best. So let's raise our glasses and toast for a bright, wonderful, healthy, and blessed 2012!!!

From our family to yours,

A BLESSED HAPPY  NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

☺•☺•☺•☺•☺•☺•☺•☺

Another holiday away from home

     When I was in my teen years, I have always desired to get away from home. It has been my rebellious spirit to try new things and explore different places. Being here in America for about 3 years and 2 months, I learned and realized a lot of things. That sometimes, we get more than what we bargained for. Holiday season is here again, and yet I feel that melancholic breeze. I lived in the Philippines my whole life (although I had to be away for 3 years to work in Singapore) but even so, my heart longs for the only place I called "home". Good thing, I made some really nice friends here and they help me get through the forlornness of the atmosphere. And so last Sunday, we gathered together for our very own Fil-Am Christmas party. I want to be able to look back and reminisce the fun times I had with them, so I brought my trustee camera and took some shots!

yummy appetizers and desserts

homemade prosciutto

a bountiful feast

prizes for the games ( I got one!)

a fun eggplant game!

a Filipina's day is never complete without Kodak moments!

     The day was filled with fun, laughter, tears (from laughing so hard), food, and camera flashes. I almost forgot that I wasn't in Philippines at that time. Next thing we know, it's already 9pm! Time really does fly when you're having so much fun. I wished I could have this moment with my family. All I can say for now is, life's moments are well-spent when you know it is shared with the people you love.

--☺☺☺☺☺--

What are you thankful for?

Today is November 24th, and we are currently celebrating Thanksgiving Day surrounded by people we cherish the most - families, friends, and loved ones. As we sit on the dining table ready to share that bountiful feast, we are reminded of all the wonderful blessings we have graciously received the whole year round. May it be a new job, a new house, a new baby, or a new life - it is still a blessing we have to be thankful for. As for me, words are never enough to express the gratitude and blessedness my heart is feeling right now. But what am I really thankful for? My list is just simple:

I thank God for my wonderful, caring, and very loving husband who is also the "best friend" I've always hoped and wished for. My heart belongs to him.

I thank God for our smart and loyal dog, Kyodai. We love her so dearly.

I thank God for the family I left behind in the Philippines. No matter the ups and downs we've had, they will and always be the family I cherish and never will forget.

I thank God for my husband's supportive and caring family. They are my "home away from home".

I thank God for the new-found friends I have right now. They surely put smiles on my face.

I thank God for the old friends I still have. True and loyal friends, really, are hard to find.

I thank God for my life. It may not be extravagant, but it surely is worth living.

Yes, my list is simple as that. I could go into details, but space isn't enough. Being thankful is more than saying "Thank You". The heart speaks what our mouth couldn't utter. In other words - THANK FROM THE HEART...

Candid Autumn

Two weeks ago, my husband and I together with his niece and her boyfriend, took a nostalgic steam train ride in the Wilmington-Western Railroad. They have this event called "Autumn Leaf Special" and we thought it would be nice to board the train and do some Fall sightseeing in one of Delaware's historical suburbs, Hockessin. So as I bundled up ( knowing it would be 40 degrees on that day ), I also packed my Canon SLR to see if I could take some shots aboard our No. 58 coach.

Here are some of my favorite shots ( sorry I couldn't post a lot as I am a fan of the burst shot LoL... ) and hope you enjoy the panoramic views through my camera's lens ( 'coz I did! ).

A front view of our steam train ( a vintage version of Thomas the Train! )

A combination of the orange, yellow, and green hues make up the autumn foliage

The sky makes an astounding backdrop for the trees' colors

One of the water views along the Hockessin border

Reflections of Autumn

We can only take pictures aboard the train, so these were taken from where I sat. I had to fumble with my camera's settings the whole time as I had trouble with the bouncing of the flash through the window and the sun beaming towards my face since we took an early afternoon train ride. But so far, I still managed to capture the beauty of Autumn right from my seat. 

Ahhh, Autumn what can I say?? Let me savor you first whilst I brace myself for your successor, Winter.

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."  ~ Albert Camus

Holiday sweet treats

It's officially 45 days before Christmas and yet some of us might not have thought of what to give to our loved ones. Thanksgiving is 2 weeks from now and then here comes the holiday rush again! Prepping up for the holidays has never been easy, and it always involves making a list and checking it twice. Finding out who's naughty or nice would be a breeze but once you do, you gotta have a little "something" for that lucky one. And what's the best way to spread a holiday cheer? - a nice sweet treat :)

For all we know, chocolate gifts are one of the highly rated Christmas goodies of all time. Everyone loves chocolate! And if you're thinking what I'm thinking, I don't mind getting some for me and my hubby. Holidays are also the time for self-control, if you know what I mean. With the gift-giving tradition and the exchange of Christmas cookies and pies, we all need a little bit of "sugar rush" once in a while. Oh, I can simply visualize the kids running and screaming after a few sweets, and the adults laughing and chattering around the dining table. Gotta love the holidays...

I may be talking about the holidays right now but remember, there's still Thanksgiving. Which means there's more time to shop! So go ahead and find out who's naughty and who's nice ;-)

Family Friday!

Another year, another Fall. Next thing you know, Winter's here. Sometimes it's hard to think that months pass by so quick it almost feels like I haven't done anything in one day. We are going out for a dinner tonight, and we're eating crabs. They say it's the last time of the year that we get to enjoy it. As I stepped into the shower, I noticed I have been using a lot of hot water lately. I remember in the Philippines we used water heaters to immerse in a pail of water. Good thing they have lowes hot water heater in the local hardware store here. Just brings back the good ol' days...

While enjoying my hot shower, I also couldn't help but notice our bathroom was all in pink. Well, not everything. Only the pink shower curtain which I bought as a set completed the dreamy peachy look of our bathroom. Thankfully, my husband wasn't against it ( knowing they are very particular with their THRONE) and he said it's pretty much up to me whatever I want to do with the house, as long as I don't touch the basement a.k.a his "man-cave" lol...

I couldn't decide what to wear, and so I just grabbed the first one I could find - my wrinkly striped sweater. I must have misplaced the iron headboard and so I wasn't able to give it a quick press. Even so, I still wore it. Nobody's gonna notice it anyway. And off to dinner we go!

I love spending time with my in-laws. Even if it's just a quick visit or a simple dinner together. They're what I call "home" away from "home" <3

Rekindling the passion

After months of hibernating, finally I am back to the blogging world. I apologize to all my dear blogger friends out there who have been trying to get hold of me. And for those who have been very kind to leave messages and comments on my posts, I am therefore grateful and just want you to know that I appreciate it ( *wide grin*). It's really been a long time, (or should I say, almost a year perhaps?) since I posted here. Proud to say my blog's been a year old now! Gosh, that you can call abandonment. Pffft...

So how have I been? Since I'm waaaay behind the seasonal updates, here are just some of the highlights of my so-called life :)

I have immersed myself into baking, and learning more stuff. My contentment isn't fulfilled until my repertoire's big enough to satisfy both hubby and I's craving. Thanks to the cookbook my dearly beloved mother-in-law passed onto her youngest son, I am deeply enjoying and savoring every new recipe my hands could get into.

Springtime gardening was one of hubby and I's favorite activities together. We planted mostly colorful flowers like Tulips, Petunias, Impatiens, Daisies, Begonias, Vincas, Roses, Lilies, Geraniums, and some herbs. One of my friends who was hooked into the Farmville game even quoted that our garden looked Farmville-inspired. That was a compliment :)

Spring was also my Birth-season, officially the month of May. I celebrated my birthday with the help of my good friends and had another fun-filled day with laughter and what can you expect, more eating!

Say hello to Summer! Of course, we wouldn't let the sun shine for nothing! We spent a day at the beach and watched the sun do the rest. As a typical Filipina who wouldn't want to get tan, my heartfelt thanks to Banana Boat for the SPF 100. Hubby refers to it as my "vampire stuff".

I am a certified Harry Potter fan and this is my one-way ticket to the end. As we watched the final epic battle between Harry and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, I found myself wiping away the tears as I bid goodbye to the greatest Sci-Fi story I have ever seen.

To my Filipino friends, this is not the Chocolate Hills of Bohol. These are the Alleghany and Massanutten Mountain Range in Shenandoah, Virginia. We took our annual camping activity to the highest level as we spent a week in one of America's national parks. It was also where we spent hubby's birthday and at the same time, when the Hurricane Irene struck the East Coast which makes it even more memorable I suppose.

Sunset in Shenandoah

Wow, it really has been a while, isn't it? I'd love to share more and fill the gap in my timeline, but space isn't enough. As what others would say, "So many things to do, so little time." As the dreary weather and cold season comes a-knocking, and so is my writing. I guess this proves that if you have the passion for something, it never dies. This is proof. I am back :)

"Life is a journey to be savored each step of the way."

♦○♦○♦ H A P P Y H O L I D A Y S ♦○♦○♦

     It's been quite a while since I last posted on my blog. The holiday rush gets me, and I have been very busy doing my chores and stuff. Decorate this, party here, bake there, and the list goes on....

   

 Speaking of bake, I've been busy in the kitchen most of the time working like Santa's trusty elf. Our kitchen becomes Santa's workshop or should I say, bakeshop, because I've been making cookies lately. Ever since I got here, we've kept the tradition of giving away Christmas cookies to our beloved family and friends.

     Here is a cookie tray I made for my Filipina friend's Christmas party. I wasn't able to take a picture of it after I had it wrapped as we were in a hurry to leave the house that time.

     Holiday season may be the happiest time of the year, but it's also the busiest. Best of all, there's something about seeing all those twinkly lights and the smile it puts in our hearts remembering that it's not about the gifts we receive, but what we give and share that makes others happy.

 

from our family to yours.....

   

○♦○  SEASON'S GREETINGS 

and a 

BLESSED NEW YEAR ○♦○

My favorite Xmas commercial :)

      

     Most of us hate commercial breaks specially when we're in the middle of our favorite movie or show. In my case, I've had fond memories of myself since I was a kid watching tv commercials - and believe it or not, I've had my favorites. With the holidays just around the corner, I always remember this cute commercial from Coca-Cola which was famous in the Philippines around  the 90's I guess ( I forgot what year it was played) but the memory of the colorful trucks still puts me in a festive mood and makes me say "Holidays are coming!" 

     This year's commercial also makes it to my list of favorites. I am a huge Kim Chiu fan and that's another reason why I liked it. It fascinates me the way they made a Philippine version of this commercial ( the original version is longer and it doesn't show Kim Chiu and Enchong Dee) and still make it look like it was the same one. This time they put a reggae-ish upbeat vibe to the tune of "Shake up Christmas" by Train. Just in time for Santa's snow globe trick :)

♪ ♫ Holidays are coming..... so shake up the happiness!!! ♫ ♪

Counting my blessings :)

     

      Sorry if it took a while before I posted this. We've been busy lately specially with the holiday season just around the corner but better late than never right? Anyway, I just wanna share my Thanksgiving moment with my husband, in-laws, and friends. And by the way, I drove all the way there on a Wednesday which I would say, is my first experience on a 1-hour drive in the highway ( I'm still on a learner's permit though). Thank God for keeping us safe!

     This turkey was made by my hubby last Saturday so that we can have our very own little post-Thanksgiving dinner. I wasn't able to take a picture of the turkey on the Thanksgiving dinner so I took a shot of this one instead. I'm supposed to be the designated photographer of that day but unfortunately I've been slacking. Not even a group shot of the family on that day :( I'm blaming it on the turkey and my full belly LOL :D

     Can't believe how time flies so fast! The memories of last year's Thanksgiving is still fresh on my mind and its been a year now. But it's not the days that pass that make every year memorable, it's what you do that make each day of your life count. Words can't express how thankful I am to GOD for blessing me with a wonderful husband, a precious dog, a loving family, and a circle of good friends. No matter the ups and downs, I still find that life is worthwhile. Thank you God for another year, and more years to come in my blissfully content life ♥

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving." ~ W.T. Purkiser