December Rocks!

Today is a special day!

 

First up, my Mom just arrived from NJ,

and will be with us until the early weeks of January.

 

And secondly...

 

This.

 

 

 What greater blessing to give thanks for at a family gathering
than the family and the gathering.
Robert Brault

 

 

Birthdays Galore (My nth, DS's 15th, and Milkshake's 4th)

What fabulous months October and November are! 

 

 

Birthday celebrations abound ---

Mine (nth on Oct. 27), and which I promise that from this day on,
my mantra will be, to:

Then came Migs's turn (15th on Oct. 31),
and this I posted on my timeline wall for him:

and of course, our little darling, Milkshake's (4th on Nov. 9),
whose special day we celebrated with this (among other goodies!):

 

 The more you praise and celebrate life,

the more there is in life to celebrate.
Oprah Winfrey

 

Hermies Turn A Year-Old Today!

One year ago today, my daughter and I went to buy little hermit crabs from Lucky Hermits in the Mall of Asia.    

  And today, they turn a year older with us.  

  Two additional ones came after two weeks (Oct. 27th), as birthday gifts to myself.    

  They are such easy to care for little critters, not picky eaters, and are just good, agreeable pets.    

  Our Maltese dog, Milkshake agrees too.  (Watch out, for she too, will celebrate her birthday on Nov. 9!)  

 

Animals are such agreeable friends -

they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.
George Eliot (1819 - 1880), 'Mr. Gilfil's Love Story,' Scenes of Clerical Life, 1857

 

 

Memorable Meeting

DH and I had a great, late afternoon meeting with our Spiritual Director (and we also consider him our friend), Fr. Jboy Gonzales, S.J., Associate Principal of the Ateneo de Manila High School.

 

As many of our friends do not know yet, we  have been led back to the Catholic faith (a long story; it deserves a solo entry in this blog) since 2011, and the process is slow, healing, and gently unfolding as our days roll by...

 

Fr. Jboy, Me, and DH

 

 

 

Anyway, our meeting with Fr. Jboy turned out to be another good and productive one.  This is our scond meeting with him, and we talked about our plans of having a very simple Catholic wedding on Dec. 27, 2013 --- incidentally, our 17th Wedding Anniversary!  So far, and as he also assured us, everything is on track.

 

He discussed what needs to be done, and so much more, because our two children will also be baptized, and confirmed.  I thank my Heavenly Mother, Mary, for helping me keep the faith, and for allowing us to take everything in stride, as we live our lives anew, as Catholics.

Many Born-Again Christian friends despise and convict us, but all the more are we led back because of this, as they top the list of several reasons why we decided to embrace the Catholic faith again.  I have yet to meet another one of our Christian friends who will not condemn us.  Sad, but true.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

St. Ignatus of Loyola

Family Date

We had enough time to watch a ballet show this afternoon, after which, we all enjoyed the rest of the evening with ride-all-you-can tickets on hand.  The kids had a great time, and so did we, looking at the wide smiles on their faces.  :)  It is such a great blessing to spend time with one another as a family, and bond with the kids even though both are growing adolescents.  No generation gap here, I promise.  :)   Inside the Aliw Theater, for Ballet Manila's "Tatlo Pang kuwento ni Lola Basyang" (Three More Stories of Grandmother Basyang)  

 

 

Just one of several fun photos inside Star City. 

We had ride-all-you-can tickets!

 

When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses.  Joyce Brothers

Milkshake's Pretty Days

Our sweet, diva dog after a good and warm bath...  

 

 

Feeling like a princess in the loving, and tender hands of her sister, Dancing Queen...

 

 

Dogs are miracles with paws. 

Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy

 

DD at Margaret Stohl's Book Signing Event

Fangirling is in the house for our Dancing Queen! New York Times Bestselling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures Series and ICONS author, MARGARET STOHL --- is in Manila for a much-awaited book-signing event!   The look on our DD's face is enough reward for hours of registering, and waiting for this day itself!  :)  

 

“When I first met you, that's what I remember.

I looked up at the sky and thought,

I'm going to love this person

because even the sky looks different.”

Margaret Stohl, Beautiful Chaos  

 

 

DD's Dream Comes True

After good RAD results, and being promoted to Grade 5, Dancing Queen is now on Pointes! Her dream becomes a reality...  

  But together with this new phase in her dancing career, comes the "challenge" that goes with it --- feet blisters. But of course, for DD, the show must go on...  :)  

  ...and since that is part and parcel of a dancer's life, this, for now, is Dancing Queen's best buddy while on Pointes ---  

 

There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.  Vicki Baum

Dancing Queen's RAD Results

Praise God for favorable results!  Dancing Queen's pictures say it all :)  

 

 

To dance is to be out of yourself. 

Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. 

Agnes De Mille

DS is 2nd Honor Again!

What a blessing!  DS is once again, recipient of this term's 2nd honors, and deportment award in his school.  Continue to shine for the glory of God!  

 

You are my sonshine. 

Author Unknown

DS's Formation Night

A humbling, but fun, and unforgettable 2 days-1 night experience for the honors and semi-honors sophomore boys of DS's school, which focuses on setting personal and class goals, while fostering unity and friendship. :)

 

 

 

(This photo courtesy of Erwine Dela Paz)







Don't wait to make your son a great man -
make him a great boy. 
Author Unknown