Happy New Year Everyone

Greetings to everyone....Let's all welcome the 2010!!

2010 – Year of the Tiger

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2010 is the Year of the Tiger, which begins on February 14, 2010 and ends on February 2, 2011. The Tiger is the third sign in the cycle of Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animal signs. It is a sign of courage. This fearless and fiery fighter is revered by the ancient Chinese as the sign that wards off the three main disasters of a household: fire, thieves and ghosts.

The Tiger is said to be lucky vivid, lively and engaging. Another attribute of the Tiger is his incredible bravery, evidenced in his willingness to engage in battle or his undying courage. Maybe he’s so brave because he is so lucky. But the Chinese say a Tiger having a Tiger in the house is the very best protection against the evils of fire, burglary.

THE SIGN OF THE TIGER

Tigers do not find worth in power or money. They will be completely honest about how they feel and expect the same of you. On the other hand, they seek approval from peers and family. Generally, because of their charming personalities Tigers are well liked. Often, failing at a given task or being unproductive in his personal or professional life can cause a Tiger to experience a depression. Criticism from loved ones can also generate this type of Tiger reaction. Still, like all felines, Tigers always land on their feet, ready for their next act in life, pursuing it with unyielding energy and hunting it infallibly. Tigers are also incorrigibly competitive - they simply cannot pass up a challenge, especially when honor is at stake, or they are protecting those they love. Tigers are unpredictable and it would be unwise to underestimate their reactions. They may appear cool, but they have the Big Cat's instincts to pounce at a moment's warning. Natural leaders, they have a strong sense of their own dignity, and if they find themselves in the ranks, they can be stubborn and obstinate. In positions of power they can be difficult though stimulating bosses. Tigers are intelligent, alert, and farsighted. They have their fingers on the pulse. Good strategists and tacticians, they often have a hidden agenda. As long as they do not risk their luck too often, and keep their restless nature under control, their tactics usually pay off in life. CHARACTERISTICS Courage, Vehemence, Self-Reliance, Friendliness, Hopefulness, Resilience, Vanity, Disregard

Last day of 2009

I just get out in my bed, take a paused and look through my mini calendar. I said to myself that it is time to leave behind those bad things that happen in my life in this 2009 and I'm ready to face a new year, a new challenge in life with new hope. While sitting in my bed, I recalled the past things that happen this year, 2009. Many up's and down that I encountered in life, many tears that roll over my eyes and many tragedies that happen in my country. It came through my mind that I asked myself, what 2009 brings me, us and to everyone. Does it bring luck or bad luck? As of me, I considered this 2009 as bad luck, this is the year that God tested me how strong I am to face those rains that he poured over me, but I never lose hope because I do believe that after all the rain that fall, there's always sunshine that will follow. Adios, bye, paalam, doei 2009 and I heartily welcome the 2010.

Our Christmas Party 2009

I just want to share to my avid visitors the Christmas party that I organized. It was a lot of fun, the kids really had a great time and even me, I enjoy the time that I spent with them. It's been 2 years ago that I never did this kind of Christmas party because I spent my Christmas holiday in NL. And now that I'm home in this Christmas season, I made it up those times that I wasn't here. I miss celebrating the Christmas holiday in a Filipino way especially that for the past few years, I organized a Christmas party together with my family and the neighborhood kids.

Plan for Upcoming New Years Eve

Few days to go then everyone will celebrate the New Years Eve, do you have some plans/ideas on what to prepare or do during the New Years Eve? Usually, I'm the one who plans at home on what to prepare for our Media Noche or New Years midnight meal. Aside from that, I also plans on what activities that I can share to my family to have a lively evening. Since there's no more party like I did for the Christmas Eve, I just make it simple this time. I've mentioned in my previous post that I still have some left over games from our Christmas party because we don't have enough time to finish it all. I have decided that I will finish those games with my family member only or else it's a waste if we don't play the game because I did some effort to prepare the materials of the game. Therefore, I don't need to invite the neighborhood kids to join us this time, but just me, my younger sister and brother together with my niece and nephew. Like always, I will still stand as an organizer and the rest of my family will stand as the player for the games. And for the foods, we had decided that we prepare less foods, but more on desserts, opposite from the foods that we prepared during Christmas Eve. I already assigned some task to my family member and my parents will just relax and do nothing because we take over all the preparations. It's now time to give it back on what they have done to us way back the time that their siblings were still a kid. At this time, I will stand as the eldest at home to think that all my elder sisters were married already and live on their own house.

I miss our reunion

This was during our previous reunion last 2006 (just for fun shoots )

Yesterday was the assigned day that my high school classmates will have our reunion. I felt so sad that I miss our high school reunion just because I'm not feeling so well . I really wanted to join, but it's hard to do such things that it's only our mind who wants it, but not our body. I miss the chance to meet my high school classmates and spend time with them together, just hanging out and updating each other's life. I know that we have many things to catch up because we never see one another for a few years. However, I can't do anything because it's over now and I wasn't there, just to say my warm greetings to everyone. Now, it started me to get curious on how it goes, if there were many people who joined the reunion or so. I do hope that there are still another chance that we can meet each other's again, I hope during summertime because next December, still far.

Yummy Sunday # 17 : Empanada

Happy weekend everyone! Christmas was over and now we are looking forward to the upcoming New Year. But before we celebrate the upcoming New Year, let me share to everyone my yummy Sunday entry for this week. I share the Empanada, a Spanish and Portuguese stuffed bread or pastry, also known as "impanada" in Italy. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing.

Christmas Party 2009

The Christmas Party that I organized was a big success. It was so tiring, but it's all worthy because everyone had a great time. All the kids who joined the party went home with a big smile. They all enjoyed the party because I prepared many games in fact our time was not enough with all the games that I had, so some games we did not play because it's almost Christmas eve. I wanted to finish the party before 12 midnight then those kids can spend there Christmas Eve together with their family. I'm so thankful that my younger sister and brother help me to make this party goes smooth, especially when it comes to the game contest. Well, you know kids, when it comes to games, they were so hyper sometimes, I can't manage it alone. I was busy already the whole morning because I prepared our foods for Noche Buena and in the afternoon, all busy preparing for the materials that were needed for the games. Since I had a game that they need to pop up the balloons using a headband with needle on it, I'm busy pumping those balloons that I bought, after that, my brother and I tried to hang it on the ceiling. However, before ending the party, I distribute first the prizes for those who won the games. Well, just take a look the photo that I share then you can see the games that we had.

List of games :

• Hip hip hooray
• Tomato dance
• Newspaper dance
• Eggplant (push )
• Pop up the balloons with flour on it
• The sour face ( the winner was my cute nephew, its in the picture )
• Lemon relay
• Putting the nose of Santa and many more
  

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Just dropping by to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, May your Christmas filled with joy and happiness together with your family and love ones.

My Christmas is fun because I celebrate it together with my family and the neighborhood children. We were having a great Christmas party, but I share my Christmas party experience on my next posting. Well, there's someone that I miss in this time, it's my hubby. We are not together to celebrate this Christmas season, but in my heart and mind, he's with me no matter how far the distance between us.

Bidazzled

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Bidazzled. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Officially Invited

This afternoon, I started to call the attention for the kids what will join for the upcoming Christmas party. I inform them about the party that I will organize and at the same time, officially invited them. Mostly of the kids that I invite are those kids who live in our neighborhood and are less fortunate, who don't have any toys to play with. However, my nieces and nephew will join it also, but they are only few, so those neighbor kids will add the number of the participants for the party. I prepare some games that for sure the kids will enjoy to play. After a short discussion about the party, they get all excited and guess what, they started the countdown for the upcoming party. It gives a smile on my face when I see them smiling, excited and full of happiness. Of course they are so eager to join in some games that I prepare because they know that they receive some prizes. As part of the celebration, we also decided to have exchanging gifts. Since it's mostly all kids, I had decided that the gifts they prepare are worth 15 pesos only, at least that's affordable for their budget. And the gifts that they will buy for that amount is all foods such as chocolates, candies, cookies etc,.

The party will be this coming 24th of December, 2009 at about 8:30 P.M. See you there!

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow

This afternoon, hubby informed me that they had a hard snow since yesterday until this afternoon and it's very cold. It came through my mind that it's still autumn time there and wow, many snow already. The wintertime will officially begin this coming 21st of December. Well, hubby sends me some photo shoots of the city center and outside the house where I can see many snow on it. At least even my presence is not there, I can still see how it look. It's so wonderful to see it in all white, but for sure, for people who live in the cold country are not happy with the hard snow, but for people who live in a tropical country, we all love snow, waahhaaaa.

Me standing on the frozen lake

When I was in the Netherlands last year, I also experienced the hard snow, I even got a chance to walk on a frozen lake were many people did some ice skating. It was such a great experienced for me to walk on the frozen lake that turn the upper part into ice due to the coldness temperature. It was thick iced already; therefore it was safe to walk because it does not break so easy.

Done wrapping the presents

Finally I'm done wrapping with all the presents that I bought. All these presents that I wrap are intended for the upcoming Christmas party that I will organize. It's more fun and exciting to receive some presents that cover with colorful Christmas wrapper. And so yesterday, I was busy wrapping with all these presents, phu... it's a lot, but luckily it's all done. Well, I just wrap it piece by piece until I reach the last part of the present. At least I have music to listen, and then I never notice that I'm almost done wrapping because I'm more busy singing along with the music. Anyway, my next task that I need to prepare are the presents for the adults. It's just all simple stuff, what's more important is everyone will enjoy the party. Probably tomorrow, I will shop some presents for the adults, then I can wrap it as well. When I'm all done with the presents, then I start to plan what foods I prepare for Christmas Eve. I'm also in charge for the cooking *wink* but I'm a trying hard chef (LOL), so I just see what I can make it.

Organize a Christmas party

Few days to go then its Christmas time and guess what, I organize a Christmas party for children and adults. Well, this is not new to me to organize a Christmas party because I did this already a few years ago. However, for the last two successive years, I never did this Christmas party because I was not here in the Philippines to celebrate my Christmas holiday. So, I miss the Filipino way to celebrate the Christmas season. Since it’s already few days to go before Christmas, I’m already busy preparing for the Christmas party, I start planning already on what kind of games that the children and adults will do and of course, the games will be more exciting if there’s some great prizes to offer with. So I started to shop for the Children’s prizes, it’s just simple, but I’m very sure it gives a smile to their face once they receive these presents.

It's Snow Time

Hubby and in-laws were very vocal to inform me yesterday that it's snowing. They describe it to me that outside the house, it's all white and all the tress were bald. This coming 21st of December, it's officially winter time in Holland. Anyway, they all know that I like watching that white snow that fall, I know it's cold, but I just enjoy it for now because I don't often experience it. At this moment, my family there were freezing for the cold weather that they have, while me, enjoying the beautiful sunny weather, only sometimes it's too warm. Take a look the photo that hubby send to me recently, it's the view at the back of the house and our car that was almost covered with snow.

Yummy Sunday # 16 : German Sausage

Hubby and my in-laws like much the German sausage (braadworst – in Dutch and bratwurste- in German language) because it's very delicious than the normal sausages that they can buy in the supermarket. Since we went to Germany two years ago to watch the Christmas Market, they grab this opportunity to eat a half meter German sausage. As you can see in the photo, you can see the sausage that goes beyond with the bread. In fact, hubby took already about two inches bite for his sausage. I tasted the sausage and it's delicious, but I'm don't want to have one for myself, I found it too big for me, eating a half meter sausage, phuu…for sure I can't empty it, so I just took a few bites from hubby.