Farewell 2008

2008 was a roller-coaster ride.

For the twins, there were many firsts - first solid food, first step, first tooth, first out of town trip, first airplane ride, first studio shoot, first haircut, first birthday and first newspaper appearance (Manila Bulletin birthday corner hahaha). The twins had to endure several hospitalizations, and battle wicked illnesses. It made me a stronger and more mature mommy medic.

I learned I can DIY a 1st birthday party, and proved it to be a successful endeavor. Budgeting will still be a challenge, but I can now tell which ones are the needs and which ones are just wants. I discovered bargain shops and discount stores. I have definitely improved my gift-giving powers this year.

I learned to prepare more fancy dishes to the delight of my family. I can now cook for my friends, and the dish is actually edible, hehe. I can now handle the kitchen pressure during reunions with friends and family.

I got promoted, with a job that I actually like doing, plus I have cool team mates and a boss that I can trully say is my mentor.

Keith finally got his DSLR and 29" TV. We have a more understanding relationship now and we rarely fight over petty things. We have grown together in a mature kind of way, and the love and respect for each other is still there.

Also this year, my dad had angioplasty and this moved our family to be closer. My brother got married, and his wife gave birth. I now have my very first pamangkin. During our clan reunions (on both sides), we are all complete, happy and healthy. We also celebrated my dad's 64th bday and my mom's 54th bday and their 31st wedding anniv. We are blessed to be complete as a family during these occasions.

I am closer to God after discovering the 12 colored candles from Loreto. Here are their meanings:

White candle = purity (wish candles)
Red candle = romance or love offerings for families
Blue candle = peace of mind
Green candle = money
Yellow candle = good spirit
Pink candle = health
Orange candle = brightness
Brown candle = good fortune
Peach candle = studies
Violet candle = material wealth
Black candle = conscience

This year, I have discovered The Secret, and I will be forever grateful to my good friend Yas for sharing it with me. :)

As for my Kabuki sisters, there were also trying moments like when Tito Rey and Mami Caring were hospitalized. There were also celebrations like when Ires and Polly gave birth, and when Peen got married (I was even asked to make a speech). We had several potluck get-togethers, and one very memorable Tagaytay trip, with our partners and kids (complete attendance, naks).

I also attended reunions with good old college friends whom I terribly miss - Ana, Jenny, Marvs and Bing. I am happy to see that they have not changed one bit, and the friendship is stronger despite the long distance.

Finally, we moved into a new home, and it proved to be a blessing with the tremendous benefits it gave to our health.

2008 taught me to be a better mom, better wife, better homemaker, better shopper, better friend, better co-worker, ultimately a better person. So, thank you 2008, thank you very much! :)

The Bagets circa 1960

My parents had get-together with their amigos/amigas. They are the parents of my childhood friends. I cooked beef w/ brocolli, grilled liempo and tuna. Yezzz! :)



Ninang Melba and Tito Boy



Ninang Anabelle and Tito Ben



Tita Marilyn and Tito Dante



And of course, Paperts and Mamerts

Mama & Papa 31st Wedding Anniv

It's my parents' 31st wedding anniversary. We all decided to go to MOA.



It was traffic.



There were sooo many people in the mall.



We had to park at SMX. (Carlos doing the OK sign; Vito is bored)



We had dinner at Dampa in Macapagal. We had kinilaw na tanigue, baked tahong, buttered shrimp, sinagang na maya-maya, grilled pusit and liempo, ensaladang talong and mangga and ripe mangoes, yummm!



Next generation - Carlos, Moxi and Vito.

Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas! This year is special because we are complete. For noche buena, I made chicken macaroni salad. We also had sweet & sour fish fillet, pancit bihon, chicken & pork barbeque, hamonado, ube halaya, leche flan, and cake.



My brother is home from Dubai to have christmas with his family.



Here is Santa Moxi, resting after delivering all the presents, hehe.



This is Caloy's first reaction upon holding his gift.. WOW!



Vito is very bungingis upon opening his gift.



Daddy and Lolo checking the new rides, and preparing them for take off, hehe. These are rechargeable motor bikes, nice!



The twins with their steering wheel toys.



This is our second christmas together as a family :) My dad frowned on the idea that we are not spending noche buena with them, so... need I say more? Hahaha..



We heared christmas mass at the Monastery. Carlos is so tired, he slept through mass and in this photo op.

Happy Birthday Jesus! :)

I got my Christmas wish! :)

eh kase sabi ko kay keith gusto ko ng fone na may stylus.
tapos sabi nya o gusto mo ba ng ganto ganyan e super mahal ng mga fone.
sabi ko.. kahit ung mura lang (example: myphone) basta may stylus hehe.
tapos hindi ko na lng sineryoso.
everytime i ask him what he likes, wala daw.. kahit kiss na lng. churva.
so hindi ko inintindi. naisip ko after xmas na lng kme buy gifts for each other
kase wala na time to shop.
tapos nung noche buena after exchange gift w/ my family,
inabutan nya ako ng gift.
nagulat ako.
isang box sha, inisip ko baka kikay item o kaya mug bwahaha!
pag punit ko nung wrapper nakita ko - vodafone
i was so surprised, napa-tili tlaga ako hahahaha!
shocks super kilig moment nanaman bwahaha!
na-iyak nga ako kse wala ako gift sa kanya,
kka-hiya :( invite ko na lng sha to the mall this weekend so i can buy a gift that he likes.
super happy ako.. memorable tong xmas nato sa kin
palm treo 750v nga pala sha.. eyelavit! :D

thank you hunny i love you very much!!! :)

Ofc Xmas Party 2008

We had christmas salo salo today, feasting on kiampong, meatballs, chicken & pork adobo, roasted chicken, pizza (tons of), fruit salad, assorted choco cookies and ice cream. Super dami ng food! I think I gained 10 lbs, hehe! At first, I thought hindi ko magugustahan ang kiampong, but it was masarap! :)

Here are the new guys:



Me and the Korean team (Rose, Michelle and Aragorn)



Me and the Mandarin team (Maria and Rick)



Me and the Thai team (Steve and Hajie)



Me and the English team (Connie, Mau, Jeff, Maan, Drew, Vannie, Gem, Hazel and Josef)



Me and the AMs (Grey, Susan, Wils, Hanz and Mami Burns)

Merry Christmas everyone! :)

Friendship Flowers Award

This tag is all about "FRIENDSHIP OFFERING" with someone whom you know, to someone whom you already knew or will know in the future, globally. Thank you Janis for passing this on to me.



Here are the rules for this tag:

1. Copy the badge and put it on your blog,
2. Link back who pass you this tag,
3. Spread this tag to at least 7 or more bloggers who you think you are friend with.

And lovely are the blossoms
That are tended with great care,
By those who work unselfishly
To make the place more fair.
And, like the garden blossoms,
Friendship’s flower grows more sweet
When watched and tended carefully
By those we know and meet.
And, if the seed of friendship
Is planted deep and true
And watched with understanding,
Friendship’s flower will bloom for you.

I am now passing this tag to Divine, Sheryll, Jacque, Con, and Mec.

Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato

Today, we had our team's christmas party at Jack's Loft in Tomas Morato. It was a lunch get-together so most of us skipped breakfast na, hehe.



I ordered mushroom soup (matabang), philly cheese steak sandwich (i'm sorry walang lasa), and I declair (sadly, smaller size than before). Nabusog ako but hindi nasarapan. Oh well, it's free lunch so I can't complain, hehe!



Missing in the picture are the latecomers - May, Rox and Celpots hehe.



Me and Inah - my 'mommy' in our exchange gift. She gave me a Parker sign pen, with my name engraved on it, for all the memos I need to sign daw (roll eyes), hehe. Thanks Mami Ins! :)

More pictures here.

New friends, new words

I'm with a new team now, and this week I made some new friends - 3 Koreans (Michelle, Rose & Aragorn), 2 Thais (Hajie & Kamol) and 2 Chinese (Rick & Jerico).

Did yah know that in Korea, you turn one year old on the day that you are born? Kase they start counting even if you are still inside the tummy. So, if I were born in Korea, 31 na pala ako ngayon yuuuuck! Hahaha.

I learned that the correct pronunciation of "Thai" is /Tai/, unless you are referring to that chicken part most delicious when fried - thigh.

I also learned some new words - "ahn yong hasehyo", "sawadeekah", "ni hao" which means Hello in korea, thai and mandarin.

Oh, this is gonna be exciting! :)

Craving for some

Lifesavers! Where can I buy them now?



Photo borrowed from here.

Conti's and Gerry's Grill, Trinoma

It's the first Saturday of December. I met my good old college friends at Trinoma for our christmas get-together. The last time we saw each other was July when our friend Ana came home to visit from the US. I am happy to see them again. :)



Jenny, Aus, Bing & I had merienda 3pm at Conti's. We had 'assorted dips with melba toast' as appetizer. Ang sarap when you combine the artichoke & liver pate dips together, I swear hahaha! I also had tuna sandwich, tiramisu and brewed coffee (plus 1 refill), ang takaw ko grabeh. Bing had frap and mango bravo. Jen had baked macaroni and a cake (forgot which one).

I was on cinderella time and couldnt stay long, Vito is sick with colds and I am mommy medic once again. Kaya lang wala pa si Marvs. Either leave or face his wrath. I texted him - Marvs call me. Upon learning na we ate na his calm, sleepy voice went up a notch - ano! kumaen na kayo?! hehehe e kse ang tagaaal. So anyway, he finally arrived together with his BFF, Migs and said na they want to eat sa ibang resto. Fine.



We transferred to Gerry's Grill, super dami ng tao. When everyone was settled na, Bing and I said our b-byes. She had to leave early din coz she's going back to Tarlac. Of course ayaw nila pumayag, but we promised there is going to be a next time. :)



Thanks Jen for my gift, I'll open it on Christmas day :D

Wordless Wednesday

Smiling moon

As Keith was off to work, we saw the most amazing thing - God was smiling and it was such a beautiful feeling. I immediately asked him to take a picture. After several attempts (he got almost late for work, hehe), he was able to get this:



This was taken outside our house around 8pm. Keith had to edit the roofs and trees out, and zoom in. Nice noh? :)