Thanksgiving This Year

Thanksgiving Dinner with Family

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, although only second to Christmas. I like Thanksgiving not only because it gives me a 4-day weekend to spend with family, but also because I think it is such a great tradition that I wish we had also practiced back in the Philippines.

Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in the US and Canada. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. While perhaps religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday. (Source: Wikipedia)

While I think we should all give thanks everyday or every chance we get, I think it is also nice that we have a holiday like this to remind us to step back for a little bit, get our minds off work or day-to-day routine, think about our blessings and celebrate them and be thankful for them!

In the past, I'd spend Thanksgiving traveling--seeing places I have never been to or going back to places that I like. But as the years went by, we've shifted to spending Thanksgiving at home with family, friends and loved ones, and I think we're going to carry on this tradition in the years to come.

This year, I hosted Thanksgiving and I decided to keep it really small and intimate by having just my siblings and their families. It was great! The day was more relaxed and I didn't feel the pressure that I'd normally feel when hosting holiday gatherings. Besides, it was also Lucas' first Thanksgiving and we wanted to focus on making this meaningful for him--whatever that means, since he won't remember this anyway.

Lucas' First Thanksgiving

I marinated my turkey a day in advance so on Thanksgiving morning, I just threw it into the oven and spent the rest of the morning playing with Lucas and Nathan, Facebook-ing and texting some friends.

My table was already set as early as 2 o'clock in the afternoon. By 3 o'clock, the Turkey was done and my brother and his wife arrived shortly after.

I made mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy and green bean casserole while catching up with my brother. By 5:30, dinner was ready!

It was all-in-all a great dinner and a lovely celebration. We spent the rest of the evening just hanging out and catching up while also watching CNN Heroes where our fellow countryman Efren Penaflorida was honored as Hero of the Year! That was a proud moment for us and just another thing to be thankful for!

Surprisingly, we didn't feel tired and didn't want to retire for the night. So we decided to head down to the mall for some midnight shopping and check out what Black Friday sale was like this time of year.

Hope everyone else who celebrated Thanksgiving had a good one!

The Things That Matter Most

The things that matter most in our lives

are not the treasures that we acquire along the way

but rather the treasure chest of moments, memories and experiences

shared with the people we love...

{borrowed from a Thanksgiving card I got today}

This Thanksgiving, I think about what I am most grateful for. And I am most grateful for the people in my life--for the family that I have and for having them here with me. I cannot imagine being away from them. I am grateful that God has blessed me with parents and siblings who are still with us in this world. My greatest fear is to lose anyone of them to death. I pray that God will bless us with many more years together. I am grateful for the few but genuine friends that I have. My friends are my extended family.

This Thanksgiving, I also wish that people who are alone will find someone, children who are abandoned will find families, families that are broken will reunite and those who are lost will find their way back home.

I wish everyone a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends, love, laughter, good food, good company and many, many memories to hold close.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

In Six Months

My Lucas turned six months old today. I can't believe it's been six months. I can't believe it's been that long. It seems only very recently when I found myself in that labor and delivery room working the hardest in my entire life, pushing as if my head was going to explode, throwing the last bit of energy in my body into what would become the most enthralling experience I have ever had.

It's been six months since I had Lucas and it's probably been the most interesting six months thus far.

In the last six months, I learned how big of a responsibility parenthood is--bigger than I what I had expected. In the last six months, I realized that lack of sleep can really break us. I've had instances of dizziness and disorientation, and even near accidents (I almost dropped baby once) all because of the lack of sleep. I used to take sleep for granted, sometimes I even considered it a waste of time. Now I think sleep is one of the best things you can do to your body and I regret those times when I had all the opportunity to sleep and I didn't.

In the last six months, I realized that some things we cannot do alone and it's ok to ask for help. I was lucky to have a very supportive husband and parents who never left my side during my first few months of being a mom. I could never have done it alone.

The last six months have been a roller coaster ride! I've never been more happy yet I've never been more challenged. I don't need to tell you all the details because most of you have been there yourselves and you know what I'm talking about. However, to me, the most interesting part of this journey is that while I get to know this strange little person in my arms, I am also getting to know myself more.

I know I need to work on my patience. I need to do better at prioritizing--at keeping a balance between family and career, and still have enough time left for hobbies and recreation. I need to work on giving Charles enough attention. Although he is not asking for it, I know how important it is to keep our relationship alive and in flames. Sometimes he talks to me and I appear to be listening, but my mind is floating elsewhere. I need to change this. I need to pay more attention to my family's needs. I need to be more efficient. I keep finding excuses for not cleaning the house, not ironing the clothes, not clearing my desk of its mess, not reviewing our household expenses, and other little things I have neglected to do.

I realize that I'm not superwoman, but I can still do better and I will. I know I will because I have the support of my family and I am motivated by all these new little tricks and moves that Lucas shows me every single day. Seeing him grow is my reward. Seeing him happy is my fulfillment!

Today, I celebrate not only my son's 6-month birthday, but also my own journey. I celebrate motherhood!

More of Lucas' 6-month celebration here.

Training Lucas

Lucas at 5 months and 3 weeks

When Lucas was only a few weeks old, I remember wishing that he would grow faster. At that time Nathan was six months old and I liked that way he was at that age. It is the stage when they start learning new tricks, when they start becoming very attentive and when they interact and respond when you communicate.

Lucas is turning six months in one week and I can't help but be amazed at how much he has changed. What used to be a rather one-sided relationship between us has now developed into something truly interactive. He now responds to us as if he understands what we are telling him. He smiles back when we cheer him up and he would frown or cry when we scold him. He now reaches his arms when he wants us to pick him up or cuddle him. And he taps our face, head or back--whatever he can reach, when he wants to wake us up.

He now has mood swings too! At times, he would not let anyone touch him but me, other times he would get mad at me and only quiet down when with Charles. We have also started him on solid food and he has started telling us what he likes. We haven't introduced a lot of food variety to him yet but so far, he likes sweet potatoes the most.

What I am not so excited about is training Lucas on things and introducing discipline. For now I just want to give him all the love and attention and not worry about spoiling him. I guess it is easy to do this when you're a parent. Lately, we have let him sleep next to us even after he has already learned how to sleep on his own. And that is because we think we haven't reached the point where we need to start training him.

But now I know that he has almost gone past the stage of being spoil-proof. He is almost at a stage when he will cry not only to communicate his needs, but also to purposely manipulate us or get something that he doesn't need. I was told that as parents we will know how to distinguish between the baby crying for something he needs or crying for something he wants, and it is up to us on how to respond to it knowing that the baby would start seeing a direct relationship between their action and our response.

Now we have to put him back to his crib and leave him alone in his room. We have to start listening closely to how he cries and respond accordingly. We have to endure his screaming and hear him cry out when we know he is just trying to get something he doesn't need. I don't know that I am looking forward to introducing discipline, to establishing patterns and setting limits. But I know it's something we have to deal with at some point and I'm afraid that will have to start soon.

Successful Roast

Dear Tiris,

Thank you for sharing your Roasted Chicken recipe. I tried it tonight and WOW, what a success! It was the juiciest and most flavorful roasted chicken I have ever done (I've roasted chicken before, but none of them even came close to how good this was).

I modified the recipe a bit by using Cornish Game Hen--I think this is the closest we have to native chicken. I roasted two at the same time because Cornish Hen are small. I rubbed the chicken with salt, pepper, rosemarie and garlic powder, and I stuffed it with just spring onions and lemongrass. The smell of lemongrass filled the house, it made my stomach growl the whole time the chicken was roasting.

The sauce I used to baste the chicken was a combination of the drippings, soy sauce, lemon and a little bit of honey, and it gave the skin just a hint of sweetness. Overall, the roasted chicken was so finger-lickin' good, the hub said it was better than Max's. I thought it was waayyy better than Max's. I did not want to leave the dinner table until I finish all of it, but I have to save some for our lunch tomorrow. I cannot wait!

I think I'll be making more roasted chicken in the future. This also inspired the hub to revisit his Soy-braised Chicken, which he does very well, by the way! I thought, "hmmm...bring it on!"

Thanks again and best regards!

Liza

Weekend Guests

They were all my classmates back in high school and we just happen to be in this same side of the world. It all started when one of us and the friendliest of us all, Lori, got in contact with each of us who came here in the US, and brought us together for a weekend reunion in Las Vegas back in 2001. We had so much fun that we decided to see each other at least once a year, and we have been doing just that. In fact, we have been seeing each other more frequently than once a year since then.

We weren't close back in high school. We each hang out with different groups of friends, but that didn't matter. What made our get-togethers even more exciting is the fact that we had different stories and high school memories to share. We all have different personalities, but we get along perfectly well.

Some of us have left and gone to farther places, but some have just come and joined. Others still come no matter how far away they're from. We are, by no means exclusive. We are open to anyone who is interested in our company, yet there have only been a few of us mainstays. I used to call them "former classmates" but now I call them "friends", and I want you to meet them...

Lori
She is probably the closest to me among all the ladies. She was the first one to reach out to me when I came here and made me be a part of something. She is very pretty and she captivates anyone she gives her smile to--men and women alike. She is very friendly to everyone and her thoughtfulness is unmatched. She remembers everyone's birthdays, anniversaries, and she's the only one who sends me no-occasion cards. She was a Bridesmaid at my wedding but she did no less than what a Maid of Honor would do, and I owe her so much for that. Lori and I share a lot of things in common. We like the same things. We both speak Prada (though I hardly wear it). We wear the same size so we spent last Friday night trying on each other's shoes and jeans. She's always fun to talk to and have around and our husbands like each other too. If only she lives close by, I'd probably be seeing her every other day. But she likes sunny San Diego too much to even think about moving.

Minerva
Oh, the sexy and sultry Minerva! I want to have her legs in my second life. She is our answer to Carrie of Sex and the City. Like any fashionista, she looks great with whatever she wears. She can wear this (photo above) at a hiking trail in Muir Woods and get away with it! She has the nicest of things. I am jealous of her Balenciagas and Louboutins and other things that I can only wear in my dreams. But beneath this appearance is somebody even more beautiful--a very, very generous soul. Despite having a wealthy husband, she works hard and sends pretty much all her earnings back home to support relatives. Currently, she has six scholars--four in high school and two in college. Some of her prior scholars didn't do well, some abused her kindness and took advantage of her generosity but that didn't stop her from helping other people. She gives without expecting anything in return and I used to joke with her that if she runs mayor of her town in Bohol, there's no doubt she'll win a landslide victory!

Josephine
Jo is the talker of the group. You'll know it when she arrives because you can hear her from afar. There is never a dull moment with her because she speaks with passion--and with animation! She loves to cook and is very good at it! Her Lumpia is to die for and her Steak is super delicious! Jo just got married to a great guy named Tony. I was 9 months pregnant when she wed but I had to drag my big belly to her wedding because I just couldn't miss it for the world! She chose well. She's a perfectionist. She's like Bree of Desperate Housewives (except that she's not desperate)--one with a good career, at the same time an ideal homemaker! Jo is kind of scared about children right now--she was the most awkward at holding Lucas. But I can totally see her raising children--very disciplined ones, ones who love being home because they have a super fun mom who can feed them with super good food!

Kathleen
Kathleen is like the baby of the group. Everyone of us looks out for her. Kathleen always has this big smile on her face--the kind of smile that sticks to my head so that when I think about Kathleen, I always picture her smiling. She is very cheerful and carefree, as if everything around her is perfect. Yet beneath that smiling face is a very tough and spirited human being--one that has been through a lot, one that has fought many battles and won them all! Anyone who knows what Kathleen had gone through will admire her strength. She also has a medical condition that may not be curable and that prohibits her from doing a lot of things. But she doesn't let it get in the way and stop her from living life and enjoying it to the fullest!

Joy

Joy started joining us only very recently, so I really don't know her that much yet. It hasn't been long since she got here in the US. I didn't hang out with Joy back in high school but I knew since then that she is a very kind person. I want to spend more time with her and know her better, so I hope she will continue to join us on these get-togethers. I remember Joy as a Class Treasurer and a very honest one at that. I thought she would end up an Accountant but she turned out to be a Physical Therapist instead, which I'm sure she's also very good at. She is very patient and she loves taking care of people. She talks about some of her patients and how some of them refuse treatment and are mean to care providers like her, but she understands that people can't always be nice when they are sick. She's got nothing but positive things to say about people.

There is another friend of ours, Lolit, who was unable to join us this time because there's so much going on in her life right now--she just had a baby and she and her family just moved to a different state in the midwest. We all missed Lolit and hope she will be able to join us again as soon as she is settled in her new home.

Remembering...

** The Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco **

I've been quiet here lately because I've been very occupied at work. I traveled for the most part of the last two weeks and so every little time I can spend at home, I spend it with my son. But I miss everyone that I stalk here in the blog world and I miss blogging as well.

I meant to write about my Halloween experience here. This is way too outdated but bear with me because this has been in my mind for the last two weeks, and I just need to let it out.

Since I came to the US, Halloween has been a totally different experience. Or should I say--a brand new experience? We never celebrated Halloween back home, but we celebrated and observed All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. For the past nine years, what used to be All Saints' and All Souls Day turned into Halloween, Costume Parties, Candies, Trick-or-treats and Mardi Gras at the Castro. This year, I was more excited about Halloween because for the first time, we had little ones to dress up. At work, we planned to have our kids over for a Halloween party. At home, I was expecting my sister and we were to take Lucas and Nathan trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. We got so excited about these little things that we forgot all about All Saints' and All Souls Day!

Halloween came and we called home to tell ma and pa what Lucas and Nathan were wearing, and to tell them to check Facebook because we just posted photos of the kids in their costumes. Mom got pretty upset when she learned that we did not even go to church. It felt horrible right there and then. Mom was right about everything. It was the time to remember our loved ones who passed away. It was the time to remember our unborn babies--those babies we miscarried and who we believe are now little angels watching over us and our families. We had a tradition that wasn't forced on us, but something that we believed and practiced growing up. And this time, we hardly remembered.

I had almost forgotten how important these holidays and traditions were back home, and how much I looked forward to it. We made All Souls' Day a lot of fun! We would all go back to our ancestral home in Loon, Bohol, cook a nice dinner and say the novena before the meal. We called this "Pahinungod sa mga Kalag". During the day, we would camp out at the cemetery, bring food and music, meet old friends and hear mass. Those were fun times and great memories!

Here, Lucas will have a different set of memories whether I like it or not. I don't know how much of our tradition I can share with him, but I do hope that he will at least know about it. As for me, I am grateful that I still have parents who remind me of things that I start to overlook. And I hope that someday, I can visit home on an All Saints' and All Souls' Day and experience the family tradition all over again!