December 31, 2009....

(took the above pics on our way home from san fran trip, took the 101 freeway, appreciating the beauty of countryside and seaside)

Barely 4 hours more then another year 2010 to welcome and embrace! Year 2009 is a better year for the whole family whatever aspects it may involve. A lot of plans redefined, a lot of realizations and conclusions were met and some merely changed for the better. . God knows my inmost thoughts and wishes not just for my own but for my family and back home in PI. I firmly believe that He knows the desires of our hearts, and I know i have to be patient and strenghthened my faith, always asking His guidance and forgiving heart. Thank you Lord for slowly granting our wishes as a family. As I always say everyday in one of my personal prayer, LORD TEACH ME TO BE PATIENT , TEACH ME TO WAIT, IF OUR PURPOSE IS TO BE OF HELP TO THOSE IN NEED, HELP US TO MAKE THAT PURPOSE BE REALIZED AS PLANNED. THANK YOU LORD FOR A GREAT YEAR!THANK YOU MAMA MARY FOR ALL THE UNDERSTANDING.

For people who are victims of tragedies and calamities, hold on to your faith and as you leave the past behind, try to embrace the hope that 2010 will bring to each one.

Thank you 2009!

PALACE OF FINE ARTS

A must to visit....if you are a lover of arts and a fan of books about greek Gods etc...you will love this place...romantic as such...

THE AMAZING GOLDEN GATE AT A DIFFERENT ANGLE

We love this san francisco landmark( one of our childhood dream to visit)...surprisingly, our son never complained,,hiking up and down the hill, transferring from one place to another, made some picture taking of his own,..love this experience!...

HAD SO MUCH FUN!

There might be problems about parking areas, but over all experience was fun..We visited first set of places that we considered priority...We did a lot of walking (huh shedding off calories,double purpose?hehe)...We really love the place so to say....We were amused of so many things we saw..Like the "bukid in the city?"hehehe...and we have tons and tons of pictures....a long travel maybe via freeway 5 and going home via 101 freeway....what an experience! from countryside to seaside....sunrise to sunset....windmills and ocean of plantations..indeed a great travel for the family!Thank you God Almighty!

Expectations!

My hubby told me that he is always amused everytime we have road trip or travel because i made it a point to surf the net about details that we have to accomplish while on trip, print and make a folder ,prepare everything for documentary purposes.(for me that's how wives and mothers are.agree or disagree?)..and of course taking into consideration the points of interests that our son loves to visit because way way back he never missed to include san francisco that he wants to visit . We have our expectaions though,but a 3 day visit is not enough, at least we have to make use of this short visit.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Our family spent a 3 day vacation in san francisco, california in time for a 3 day duty off of hubby and school break of our son....a very memorable and "for a change experience" for our family!!!!Thank you Lord and mama Mary for giving us the opportunity to bond in a place where we enjoyed so much!

SIGH AND NEVER MIND

(Above pic is one of the tower rides in one of the places we went last summer,,just trying retrieve some pics to fit in with this blog entry)

I can't help but feel so sad about a news that we received last night. Although my hubby told me to just never mind but it really has a painful effect on me. I just wonder some people whom you considered friends, close at that, surprisingly find ways and means to silently compete with whatever plans we have and with whatever we have and even tried find ways and means just to prove that they are far more better than us and always compare themselves to us..I mean why does it have to be us? I just find it very funny because we are just simple individuals, with simple dreams, and don't even have the luxuries in life because we have other priorities and other things to be happy about more than material things, its our family and back home in PI."MAKAPUNGOT BA PALANDUNGON NGA WE ARE SO OPEN TO THEM ON SO MANY THINGS, UNYA KAMI RA DIAY ILAHANG GEBALI. ANOTHER LESSON ON MY PART NGA UNGUARDED RAKO KAAYO. NAKAHILAK KO SA KAPUNGOT, MASKI PAHIBAW NAMO NGA NAAY NAHITABO NGA UG BUOT HUNAHUNAON, MAHIBAW POD MI BISAG GAMAY PARA MAKATUGUN POD MI.UG DILI MI MAKONTAK PHONE, MU LEAVE UG MESSAGE OR SENDAN MI LETTER , WALA ,SO MEANING WALA MI TRATOHA UG UG TAW. siguro alien mi .HEHHE..MUKATAWA NALANG KO BISAG SAKIT SA DUGHAN. INGON AKO HUBBY, 'POBRE MANGUD TA PARTS"..AW NGANO MAN DIAY POBRE, DILI BA DIAY TA TAW..SAUNA BITAW MUSABOT TA NILA NGA DILI SILA PATANDOG KAY NAAY GE ASIKASO, WALABA DIAY TAY RIGHT MAGPAHATAG UG RESPETO SA ATOANG KAUGALINGONG DECISYON. .

So sorry for this entry, its just that, pahungaw lang ko bah, maayo ning sa sulat ipahungaw para dili ko highbloodon. ako rapod matiguwang ani. hehe..I better SIGH AND NEVER MIND THEM ..We still have other things to consider and to be happy about. Thank you Lord for giving me patience and self control...I am not a confrontational person. Usually I just cry it out,but really sometimes, lessons learned in a very painful way....

ROLLER COASTER EMOTIONS!

It's been a week of roller coaster emotions so to say! I thought this would extend to christmas and new year celebration. But thanks God, things were resolved. Thanks for the efforts on both party to make things be in its proper place and the most important thing is that LOVE WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL....

(above pic of father and son at the park, moments like this will always be precious...let's take time to enjoy life with our children....)

"LESSONS IN LIFE" by anonymous

If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them,.For they have helped you learn about TRUST, and the importance of being CAUTIOUS to who you open your heart to.

I am a very unguarded person. I easily put trust and give my friendship to people whom i find very easy to talk with. But there would really come a time that situations and circumstances will tell you to STOP LOOK LISTEN and try to be cautious at times especially if you already heard and observed that things really are not in its proper perspective. And it hurts knowing that people whom you considered friends are not doing the same things as what you expect yourself to be considered as a person for whatever reasons they have. I may not have the wealth in this world,I may not have the best of all things, but I will always be a friend no matter who you are, no matter how many times you have hurt me consciously or unconsciously, if you need someone to listen to your innermost thoughts without judging, i am here. But please don't take me for granted when it comes to making up things or putting words in my mouth. I do have my maximum tolerance level , but please dont push me to the limits..Sometimes i told myself not to be too open to anyone about my thoughts and experiences to so many things.Even though i have good intentions in doing so, its just that other people are not that appreciative. They would like to really see persons whom always at a second best because they want themselves to be always the best.. May they realized that RESPECT IS NOT BOUGHT, IT IS EARNED AND GIVEN TO YOU.,,,

SO YUMMY!

My hubby can't help but close his eyes with my own version of maja blanca with buko shreds....as our dessert after our main course....it's his day off and most of the time if its his break from work he just want to rest and stays at home...he deserves to eat what he most liked of course cooked and prepared by no other than his wifey....nobody but me....

I LOVE FALL SEASON!

The changing colors of the leaves that sparkles like crystals especially when the rays of the sun touches them, seeing them harmoniously falling down from the branches, the temperate weather(not too cold, not too hot), the cool breeze , the slightly windy weather, just everything about autumn or fall makes me so excited. Please don't end too soon FALL!

IT MUST BE GOOD!

The above pic shows the aftermath of the baked turkey....HMM...Yes, i must have baked this well,,,hehehe! my hubby told me "this is the best baked turkey i ate"....deserves a reward! hehe!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY 09

( the above pic is my own version of baked turkey)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY EVERYONE! It doesn't matter how we celebrate the annual thanksgiving day, what matters most is that in our hearts, the sipirit of gratefulness is felt all days of the year and the essence of being together with our family and enjoying God's gifts and enduring trials , and sharing what we have to others who most needed our help in anyway we can. THANK YOU LORD, MAMA MARY!

FATHER AND SON FUN !

I want to share to you this video by my mag -ama(father and son) having fun with ALVIN of the CHIPMUNKS singing SHOUT..We had a blast, laughing and giggling! Very precious moment indeed!

SINGING ALVIN OF THE CHIPMUNKS

Our son was the one who picked this up in BIG LOTS and showed it to us..We were like kids singing with alvin!..Really, listening to Alvin's song is fun...We placed it under our Christmas tree.

OUR CHRISTMAS TREE 09

YES!!! This is our family Christmas tree ! The fruit of our labor so to say and we are very proud of this. Our son told us after, PAPA MAMA, its nice to wake up in the morning and see our tree!..Thank you Lord and mama Mary for granting our request and making it all possible for us to acquire this one and all the decorations. I may sound so dramatic about this but I am just saying whats in my heart..We want to celebrate and feel the spirit of Christmas season like a child, full of excitement and enthusiasm!...Our tree may not be as beautiful and as classy as yours but the most important thing is that we all have the will to celebrate Christmas and remind all of us to do our part, to realize and put into action the spirit of this yuletide season which is sharing and loving specially those who need our help and guidance..ADVANCE MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

HAVING FUN PUTTING UP OUR CHRISTMAS TREE 09!

Last Sunday, we decided to put up our Christmas tree to celebrate the spirit of Cristmas season very early...Pinoy na pinoy pa gehapon mi... Our son was very excited because he considered it as a very fun activity for the family..He was our very active decorator while my hubby and I were busy putting ties on each decoration. We gave him the decision where to put all of it..Originally , we planned to have a live Christmas pine tree but it would be available on December yet, but since we were very excited then to see our tree that's why we bought one, "medyo taas taas sa miage"...thank you LORD..other people might ask why we find it a big deal for us to be happy about this, if they only knew, this signifies our trials and triumphs in our stay here. . This year, we promised ourselves that we will come up with a taller tree with lots of decorations in it and multicolored lights. ..We are very happy with the outcome.........

LIVING LIFE EACH DAY

(Above pic was taken on a late afternoon hiking at the new park ANDULKA PARK)

During my vacant hours, i am fond of running through youtube specially episodes that i missed on a certain program , or looking for videos of interesting personalities, actors,actresses or uploading some of our family videos...One time, i happened to watch past videos of OPRAH featuring NICOLE KIDMAN. A statement that strikes me the most as quoted by NICOLE(one of my favorite actress of all times)...WHEN I AM OLD, I WANT TO LOOK BACK AND SAY I LIVED....Definitely true and I shared the same view. Living our life everyday reflects how we viewed life and how we envisioned ourselves whatever goals we still have to achieve...Whatever things I have encountered from the past somehow contributed to what i am in the present and to better and improve myself in the future. Its nice to enjoy whatever we can do everyday for ourselves and to the people we love. Yes,,"IBANG IBA ANG FEELING".... Let us not forget thanking God everyday of our lives and for letting us spend our beautiful life with our family,friends and more opportunities for us to be instruments of helping and inspiring other people. Most of all ending our day with a smile on our face and say I LIVED THIS DAY..TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY...

Beautiful Wedding!

Early this Sunday morning my sister sent me a message and shared some of the photos during her wedding..A beautiful wedding indeed..God bless them both and more fruitful years ahead of them.....

Youngest sister's wedding

Today is my youngest sister's wedding in Bohol..(above pic is one of their pre nup pics)..The fourth time that I haven't attended a sister's or brother's wedding(they all got married by the time that we were still new here in US, a lot of things to adjust and bills to pay hehe)....., but they know that in my heart, I support them and pray for their lasting marriage..I got the chance to call her at the resort before her make up session but I'd rather cut it short because she started to cry na..hehe..and on the other line can't help but shed tears also. (hilakon mangud mi oy)hehe..My family maybe miles away from us here in US but we see to it that the bond will always be there. After all, whatever blessings we have here will surely be shared to our family back home..I will just wait for the pictures. God bless them. And we would like to welcome another in law to our family!