Christmas Stockings

Now that we have our own child, I can understand why parents are very excited in making their children's' Christmas memorable and fun. And this might be the reason why Lola J wanted us to experience an American Christmas in one of the rare times she was with us in the Philippines during the holiday season in the late 80s.

One December night, she asked us, her 6 grandchildren to hang one sock each in the room Jamie and I share with my young brother Mark and sometimes, Jeanne. We somehow suspected that something exciting was about to happen. Jamie and I agreed that we get the longest socks and tacked these on our wall with the stockings of my sibling and cousins. Of course, the younger ones followed suit - we all wanted long and large ones so that what we expected to be placed there will fit. It kinda looked like this but we had ours "thumbtacked".

*Image courtesy of Google Images

And so we waited during bedtime for something to happen. Jamie and I being the oldest, kept our vigil even if it was "lights out". We used to sleep early before-- around 8 pm with 9 pmbeing the latest. Jamie and I agreed to remain awake but I couldn't keep watch so I fell asleep. It was time to wake up when I felt Jamie poking my ribs with her elbow. I didn't know the time but I saw Lola J and mama kneeling infront of our stockings. I can partially see them because of the light from the living room streaming inside our bedroom door. And boy, were they noisy even when they were whispering. 😂

Lola J was instructing mama how much she should put on each sock while she was filling one. We can hear some muffled sounds like candies falling in the socks and on the floor. We were good girls so we kept quiet and went back to sleep when they left.

In the morning, the younger ones were already in our room looking at their socks which woke us up. They were very sure Santa Claus came by last night and gave them the treats which were different types of candies.😍

Lola J was beaming at us as they jumped up and down excitedly. Jamie and I  just kept quiet.. why destroy the excitement? I knew we'd blow it when we destroy the fun and we might not get other stuff on those stockings.😇 😁I knew we had some other gifts stuffed in those socks for 3 consecutive nights but I don't remember them as well as the first night we had the stockings.

Ahh to be young and to be blessed with a loving lola who wants us to experience this thrill! :) That was our first and last experience of hanging our socks.

More Christmas stories to come.

Oh Christmas Tree!

When I was 5 y/o, we did not have a Christmas tree.

We were not well off and a Christmas tree is one of the last things Mama would buy. Sure, we had the traditional shiny "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" bunting but that's about it.

My fascination for Christmas trees was triggered by my cousins' Christmas tree. They were our neighbors and my siblings and I hung out there like everyday.

You could say that their Christmas tree was simple and common around that time but it literally awed the 5 year old me.

It was made of thin stick branches and decorated with foil garland.. and the most amazing of all...candies!

This is my poor sketch of that tree (from my Memory Journal) sans foil garland: 

I was mischievous back then. When no one is looking, I get one of the candies, pop it in  my mouth, suck it and put it back in its wrapper and retie the string where it used to hang. lolz.. I think, my cousins did the same because sometimes, some of the candies are wet and sticky. Eeewww :p Now it's yucky yet funny.. I know it's how I strengthened my immune system. :p

I've been asking my mom to buy a Christmas tree since then and she bought this 2 ft. "pink" foil Christmas tree when I was around 10 and we had it for more than 10 years. I did not like it that much. I wanted something like the "stick" tree which developed to plastic green Christmas tree as I grew older.

The gorgeous Christmas tree displays festooned with glitter and lights at National Bookstore and SM made me, all the more, yearn and long for one in my early adult years.

Finally, my family was able to have a "real" fake Christmas tree where we can put decorations in it was when I was around 23 y/o and working at a stable company. I used part of my Christmas bonus to buy one and it was even on sale. I was so happy and proud of myself. It was wish granted!

We used the beautiful and fancy decors Auntie Francise sent years ago which I used to hang in our windows and ceiling (pre Christmas tree) and I felt it was the most gorgeous tree ever. Sorry can't find an old picture of it.

This year, I got some raves with my Christmas tree that I posted in FB. It's our Pia Christmas Owl Tree. I re-used the decorations I made for my daughter's 1st birthday party early this November to trim our borrowed tree. The theme here is recycled -- since even the materials I used for the owls were from toilet tissue rolls, my niece's stash of eyes and a few old cupcake liners.

BUT - until now, I remember that brown stick tree clearly. The memory of that  Christmas tree (even if it's not ours) reflects important lessons such as:

- happiness is not based on expensive things or stuff.

- a childhood want will inspire you to achieve it.

- parents should strive to give their children happy memories to fall back on :)

Thank you for sharing your tree to us, Tegui-in family :)

Lola's Cream

November 25, 2016 marks the 86th birthday of my late maternal grandmother, Lola Juanita.

So many thing  evoke plenty of heartwarming memories with her. One of these always come up whenever I rub Vicks Baby Balsam on my baby daughter Pia's chest and back. I usually do this when she starts to have the sniffles and colds.

This act always bring me back when me, my siblings and cousins lived in one roof.  That was from 1985 to 1989 and our ages would range from 7 to 3 y/o until I was 11 y/o and the youngest was 7. 

Lola would be in the country annually for 2-3 months. During rainy or cold days or when she senses that some of us were beginning to develop colds, she would be sitting in the sofa by bedtime. She would all call us one by one. She asks us to kneel and place our head on her lap while she rubs her magic cream.ks.

* images courtesy of Google Images


I remember that I always anticipate the cold feeling when she puts her cream mixture first on my back. But her warm hand makes it soothing and relieving when she rubs it. She takes her time and doesn't rush even if we were 6 children. I remember particularly how she give more time to rub her cream on my frail little sister's back.

I recently researched Noxzema and it is supposedly cleansing cream. That's odd being rubbed on our chest and backs with Vicks. 

But then, it doesn't matter at all. Lola's cream has soothed and made us feel snug and warm while we slept. 

Happy Birthday, Lola Juanita! :) Memories of those cold nightly rituals still comfort me even after after 11 years since you joined Lolo with our Creator. Our cold bedtime ritual will live on with Pia sans Noxzema. :

Color My World 3

I have tried to research on some coloring techniques for flowers and I came up with this. A friend called it  my best so far. I used lighter shades of colors and blended some greens.

 After which, I shifted to another coloring set - Animal coloring pages from my aunt which I scanned. This is my first output from that set: 

Now, I shifted again to my coloring fans

The one below took me more than a month to finish it, having to hold it off every now and then. I wanted to experiment using jelly pens and putting some dots and lines in the illustration because the leaves and some of the wings are so large and devoid of some patterns.

I am very proud of this output since I devoted so much time experimenting on it and many liked the techniques I used.

I am planning to color mandalas next time,.,..But, as of now, I am on a break to rest  my eyes, I am planning get more ideas from the Net to make the mandalas more interesting.

On Unanswered and Answered Prayers

PRELUDE TO THE ACTUAL BLOG ENTRY:

There was a time before when my blog contained most of my musings, thoughts and feelings. That was more than 12 years ago in Tabulas where I met 2 of my closest online friends including Roselle of Snapped and Scribbled.

When I decided to have this blog I thought of creating something that's more positive and I avoided personal topics but having read some of Maine Mendoza's blog kind of reminded me of my previous Tabulas blog where I blurt out what I feel and think without thinking what other people might think of me. She is an eloquent and expressive writer... I became curious of her since I watch Aldub videos every night to make me laugh and make this pregnancy fun and light--- have to be happy and not stressed according to friends :) 

So, going back, I am going to put more personal thoughts in this blog like I did before.

THE ACTUAL ENTRY:

Reading about blogs on  love gone wrong and the feeling of  helplessness and "dying" because your dreams of forever with that person has died kind of reminded me when I had my first broken heart. I wasn't that young already since I was in my 20's but it hurt a lot. Even if my claim on that relationship is 4-6 mos. only. Hahaha!

I was crazy in the aftermath and had a fleeting  of "I will wait you for you" drama even if I knew that I was dumped and it wasn't even a good relationship to begin with and with someone who barely shows who he is. I guess, I was tortured by my emotional investment. I prayed to God that I hope one day he bangs his head and realizes his mistake of letting me go.

There was even a point that I posted  the video of Sarah Geronimo's "I still believe in loving you"  and a friend cringed and commented "For heaven's sake, don't!".  I felt embarrassed by the comment but it was a wake up call to STOP holding on to my one sided and blind feelings.

So I went on with my life  and made sure I had some adventures and take risks in my career, in my masters and other aspects of my life. My prayers changed and I was asking God that if ever He will give me someone new to love I hope he would love me back in return. But I was not really that keen into having a new relationship. I was so focused on my career.

But God, has heard my prayers..so after 3 years, I met my bestfriend, my sweetheart, my husband and my lover. It was good He did not answer my prayers on getting back with the first one I prayed for but He did answer my petition on a new love. I got so much more than what I asked for, 

2 years ago my husband introduced me to Gath Brook's song - Unanswered Prayers and it all sums up how I felt with him... until now that we're about to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary about  a week from now. =)

So for those who are dying from broken hearts .. just wait... magdasal, enjoy life, accomplish more in life and darating din sya..... sa tamang panahon ;)

Crossing stitches 1

Since I have been recommended by my OB to take it easy,  I've been coloring adult coloring books and doing nontoxic crafts.

One of these crafts I went back to make is cross stitching.

The first one I made is a baby announcement for my niece, Mia who just came out into this world last September 20.

I downloaded my pattern from the Internet and prepared my Aida cloth by outlining the lines so that I can easily finish my project.

If there is one thing I re-learned while pregnant is to be resourceful and creative. My mother in law has a lot of threads she bought overseas in garage sales so I did not use the actual colors specified substituted the nearest colors based on their descriptions.

I started with the bear and proceeded from there.

This is my finished project. I asked my sister-in-law to stitch the date of birth and weight of my niece after she gives birth in Canada.

My second project is a home decor for another sister-in-law who resides in Australia. Like my first project, i substituted the colors in the pattern. This is the final output:

Right now, I am working on another project but for me and my family this time. :)

I say "Goodbye!" and I say "Hello!"

It was a difficult decision when a few months back, my husband I decided that we need to prioritize family and health over work. So, I said a (temporary - I don't know how temporary this is) goodbye to teaching, my passion of more than a decade and to the institution I worked for for almost 9 years.

It was 2 weeks ago that hubby and I took my stuff from school. It just so happened that 2-3 days after, we had a serious typhoon here in Baguio wherein we had 2 days and 2 nights of brownout. It was kinda dark so  I did not do any crafting. Rather, I set out in  organizing and arranging work stuff I took from my former office since I resigned.

We got 3 bags and 2 boxes of my stuff. I am very grateful that our student assistants helped us pack these. I never knew I had a lot of stuff under my desk and lockers: 

Opening all my stuff brought out memories and it made me sentimental and a bit sad. :( I honestly feel that teaching is my passion but I have to prioritize my family  and our little one in my tummy whom we've waited for such a long time,

The largest box  brought out my personal stuff such as mugs, headphones, many pens, paper clips and even my sanitary pads and eraser.

Teachers have a lot of notes because we research what we teach- I speak for myself. We also have plenty of folders to hold our certificates from trainings we attended and we conducted (left photo below).

Opening one folder (right photo below) containing my schedule and my gradesheets made me a bit -yeah- sentimental :(

I opened all the Pandora boxes, and these is what were revealed- papers, evaluation reports, CDs, rulers, personal stuff-lotion, alcohol, mugs, baonan, fork and spoon, etc:

It even had the training materials I had in India for 2 weeks last 2009

And my doodles on every page of the materials. I remembered our strict trainer in Python programming. He was peering at my notes and sarcastically told me to doodle more including his face. He thought I was not listening and asked me to recite. Imagine that! I couldn't help doddle because  I was so sleepy and doodling keeps me awake and listen to him. 

 






















That training is one of the things in my life I cannot forget and I thank ASEAN and my institution for supporting me that time. Brings back funny and embarrassing memories. Hah! But I gained a lot of friends. :) I had to dispose the notes :( so I took pictures of my doodles (not that I feel like an artist :p)

Going back to this post, during the 2 day brownout break, I was also able to sort out my certificates from certifications, trainings attended, trainings conducted, working committee membership, outreach and community involvement, etc. I used  3 binders with plastic sheets for these. I might use them in the future when I decide to go back to work.

I love stickers and imagine my shock that I have more in school! I usually place those smilies on my students' papers. The rest, I just buy them and put them on my stationery set. Priscia, my niece gave me scrapbooking materials so I combined them all and placed them in one plastic folder. My smiley stickers are not here anymore since I donated it to a colleague and a friend who's very interactive with her students.

I also have plenty of scrapbooking stuff in school which I gathered in one box with my pamana from my sweet niece. She said I use it for our baby's room, decors and album. I could kiss that girl! :)

I also organized my various pens, highlighters, pens and washi tapes in one metal container. I have plenty of "maarte" pens from colleagues who gave these as souvenirs from national trainings they attended. I couldn't throw them for sentimental reasons and they're still working!

What do you know, the most I have in my collection are sticky pads!!! I had 4 or 5 from my nice but most of these came from me! I love buying them and giving them as gifts to my colleagues. Since we check researches and documents, stickies help us write our comments and tag pages. I organized them in my desk drawer.

After going through my work school stuff and organizing them with the ones I have at home, I also started raiding my closet. Goodbye to  my uniforms! *sniff! These are set aside for donation. 

Goodbye for now to a happy (yet very stressful) work life and hello to a new and exciting chapter in my and hubby's life. :)