At an event

At an event

It's the season

Tis the season for parties

and getting together with friends

Hope the rush is not keeping you away from the true spirit...

5 more days...

Why don't you

My students wrote these messages after class. Our topic that day was about talents/gifts.

My students wrote this on the board

In CCD (Continuing Catholic Development), we discussed gifts/talents

I really enjoy teaching and getting to know how children perceive the world

Our discussions are never boring

Always insightful, at times noisy and most of the time funny

So last time, we were talking about gifts/talents

I asked each and everyone of them what their talents are

Interesting how children
perceive themselves and what they think they're good at

It can be as trivial as eating

or one even said, his talent is annoying people

to which I said, a talent is a gift to oneself and others

It should be something that give joy not only to you but to your family, friends, people around you

I don't believe in false humility

I believe that if we're good at something, we should always share it

Parable of the talents

Keep striving to be the best person one can be

in all aspects

So I was so touched when my students wrote this on the board just after

I dismissed them

Though this is a volunteer job
I feel like am compensated everytime

Whoever said teaching was a thankless job

I think I have just been paid til retirement!

Enjoy Christmas!

It's the busiest time of year

Busiest time of year

Have parties/events almost everynight

Plus simbang gabi coming soon

Happy Sunday!

Pretty feet

Was doing my Christmas shopping the other day

while mindlessly going around

I saw these shoes

They were even on sale!

Cuteness!

Happy Sunday!

Another surprise

sweet note from Anna & Raymond

Oh my gosh! I love this book!!!

For those who know me

You know how I enjoy entertaining

and every process that goes with it

So when my old neighbor and good friend, Anna Palabyab-Rufino

was planning her baptismal party for her second son

I volunteered to help

And what's more, the event will be at Enderun

so food was taken care of

Fast forward to today

I was quietly decorating for Christmas

Got a text from Anna asking if I was home

and that her driver's on the way to bring something

She also thoughtfully asked how my eldest was

since he has sore eyes

and Anna's a doctor

To my surprise

when I saw their gift, I literally got teary eyed!

I love entertaining and love books about it

During our preparation for the baptism

I was telling her how I came up with the idea of a kris kringle

with my biological family

and my wishlist is this book

To cut the story short, what started as my idea

turned out to be a gazillion other ideas from my family (yea, we're all opinionated)

So we just decided not to do kris kringle since everyone wanted their way

My kids then were planning to give me this

when they saw it, they're like, Mom, what will we give you now? haha

Thank you, Anna & Raymond

and though you shouldn't really have 'cause I wanted to do it for Francesco

I am grateful and appreciative

Receiving books is on top of my wishlist

you open the gift over and over again

and remember the giver and your relationship

everytime you do

What can I say

despite us not being neighbors anymore

We're still always there for each other.

Congratulations on a lovely event and an even lovelier gift of family!

Friends y angels

my message to my dear friend, Ana Antonio

her very understanding reply

Okay, okay, you might get the impression that I go to every single invitation I get

On the contrary, I do say no to a lot if schedule doesn't permit

Or as everyone knows, family is priority

I do lunches, meet with friends while kids are in school

and when I cover events, it's usually from 6 p.m. to before 8 p.m.

Most of the time, I'm home by 8 p.m.

My good friend, Ana Antonio

who's one of the sweetest I know

Always, I mean always sends invites

be it her birthday, post birthday, socials

fashion, beauty events, you name it

She invites me

So last time she called to invite

I said, I don't have a driver still and not mobile

I don't really relish the thought of riding the cab

So, as usual, she says I will pick you up

To which I would reply, oh but I'll just be corny cause I would want to go home early
To which she would insist, if you want to go, driver will bring you home

Unfortunately, leaks happened

the rest, is self explanatory in my text

Everyday, I see kindness from people around me

Especially friends

I remember just last week, my co-parent Karen

who I bumped into when I brought my youngest to school

Offered to bring my eldest to school since she knows I don't have a driver

She said, "Your angels are always watching over you"
Yes, and I see them in my wonderful family and friends

Thank God for creating people who give friendship a great name.

And always be the best friend you can be

People will treat you the same

The kind of friendship you get is a testimony on the kind of friend you are.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Then another party

So was in Alabang from lunch til late afternoon then Maureen's place
then went home, thanks again to Maureen for having me driven home

Fed kids, talked about our day

then changed for a birthday dinner

Hubby brought me to another party

Traffic nowadays is so bad, took us almost 45 min just to get to Urdaneta

which normally should be reached in 10 mins

Just as well, it was also bonding time for us

we get to talk while in transit

Attended the birthday party of my co-parent

and her husband's my co-minister in San Antonio

Congratulations to Mike Limpe for being the new President of the parish

Happy birthday again to Karen and may you guys be blessed more!

Keep serving!

Christmas Lunch with My Painting Classmates

everydayflair goes to Alabang

my awesome painting classmates

Our painting class with some other friends of theirs who joined in

We trekked to Alabang today to celebrate Christmas with the painting group

For 2 months now, I still haven't found a driver so my mobility has been compromised

Though I must say, I have so many good friends that they always have me picked up

And offer to give me a ride just so they can see me

Always a pleasure seeing and being with my classmates

Though we're on a 3 month break from painting class

As our teacher is having a long vacation in the States

We still make it a point to get together and enjoy each other's company

We had potluck lunch

Everyone made their specialty dishes (except me, haha, they requested for the creme brulee cake I served during Thanksgiving)

And we were all merrily celebrating from appetizer to dessert

Stayed there til late afternoon then got invited by Maureen to her house

I just love this group! Planning already our simbang gabi breakfast!

Happy weekend!

Christmas trees of Friends

w/ the very gracious Maureen Soong

I love Christmas and part of what I love are the decors that abound

So festive

So visiting and seeing the different Christmas trees

of my friends excite me
Love how their personalities show!

22 days to go...

Another friend gets her dream

the facade

their cool living room

interesting art abound

posing beside the beautiful santo

A lot of my friends have been moving to their dream houses

Trish, one of my closest friends, just moved and I am flattered

to be the first friend guest :)

Haven't seen Trish for most part of the year

Understandably, here's the labor of love

She and her husband, Bubu , have been working on

Love the light and brightness of the space

So positive and clean

I like that they did add character pieces to keep the space warm
They incorporated a lot of storage space controlling clutter

My kind of space

I always say and believe

You can tell a lot about a person, a family

and their life with just visiting their space

And you can just tell how this dream house

Has been turned into a lovely home.

Congrats Trish & Bubu!

May you be blessed with a lot of beautiful memories in it!

My recent events

Thank you to my photographers, Ian Santos & Jovel Lorenzo

for always taking my photos when I cover events.

Here are my recent events...

The first 2 photos I was already in pain with my left arm

The 4th, I cnouldn't move my arm and our helper did my hair (never do that, first time!)

Not even a numb left arm can stop me... :)

Happy Friday!

Presenting my painting classmates

our advanced celebration of Thanksgiving

moved dessert to the living room

say cheese! me w/ my sling

interesting conversations

party ended late, no one was rushing to head home!

Been talking about my painting class for a long time

but my husband hasn't met them yet save for two of them

I would always talk about my class and classmates with much fondness

And yes, my eyes do twinkle after class

It is just rejuvenating and inspiring

I told my hubby, children , and yeah, even my Mom (who I talk to everyday for hours)

that my classmates are more mature

and therefore has a lot of wisdom to share

I think my husband was not prepared to see

that they (not all)really are much older than me

and my Mom finds it amusing that I have friends who's more like her age group

Age doesn't matter

I do enjoy talking to older people

But then again , I also have friends 2 decades younger than me

What I like about my life is that

I have interactions with all ages

Not only my kids or their friends for the young ones

but I have students I converse with regularly as well

I have friends also in their 20's still finding love or hoping to settle down

They usually ask me for advice

In their 30's,

My age group, the 40's

I have 50's, 60's, 70's, and oldest one is 90, and yes they are real friends

People I talk to, share laughs with and most importantly we share our lives

Life is really what you make of it

It throws surprises that sometimes take you aback

Which challenges you to be better

And then it also throws amazing people

who just make life all the more interesting and inspiring

And for that I would like to say thanks to.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our painting class's Thanksgiving dinner

before guests arrive

Though we're in the Philippines and not Americans

Our painting class decided to celebrate Thanksgiving

It's a week early since several will be travelling out of the country

I think it's a good tradition to have a special day to give thanks

for the past year

Since I am the one they never ask to bring any food to class

As they always tease me I would just bother my chef husband

I decided to host a thanksgiving dinner

as my thank you for our class

And of course, I did bother my husband, hahaha...

More on the next post...

To slow me down

Been moving with a sling

Last week, started to get stiff neck

then after couldn't move my left arm

But yeah, that didn't stop me from being my usual hyper self

Even did events last week

Finally went to see a doctor and he recommended

physical therapy for my arm

Was still a lector after the consultation with the doctor

Told priest, I can't carry the Book as I can't lift my left arm

He wisely said, that's your body's way of saying slow down

Am good though, hasn't stopped me one bit, haha

Happy Thursday!

Touching base

One of the things I enjoy in covering events

Is bumping into a lot of my friends

Perfect time to touch base.

See ya!