Winter...

I thought that I woud not see the white stuff this year. What a mistake. We had some nasty winter days lately. Keet has almost used up all her snow days, three days so far. But compared to the other parts of the country, ours isn't so bad, not like the Northern part. Our local government don't spend so much in snow equiptments as we just have mild winters. So, when there's a forecast for snow that would accumulate 2 or 3 inches, the school system would either have hour delays in opening or would completely be closed, stores would be crowded with customers to pick up loads of breads and milks... amusing really. In the Northern part of the country, 2 or 3 inches is nothing.

A recent mild snow storm we had.

I'm Baaack

Oh my Goodness, I haven't realized how looong I haven't written anything in my blog. Now, I have to crunch everything of what happened the past months in one "setting" again. And here I thought that I would be able to update every couple of days. Hmmm...Now let's see if I can remember everything that has happened.

September 2006

Keet was a little apprehensive in her first day of high school. But when I picked her up later that day, she told me that she loves her new school, and that she found a couple of new friends. She's enjoying being a freshman in high school, hang out with her new friends in school, joining an Anime club and of course studying. One of her close friends is Fil Am. The funny thing is, Keet's friend's Uncle who lives in the Philippines and my elder brother (Keet's Uncle of course) "knows" each other while they were in the Air Force. Really, it's a small world indeed! Keet is starting to wear light eye make up now - there goes our baby.

First day of High School...

Also, we helped Mom with the packing of her personal stuff and some furniture for her move. Then, Hugbun and Mom drove a U-Haul truck to Mom's new apartment in New York, leaving her car with us to be driven by Peter (all of us would be going) the next month.

October 2006

We were shocked and sadden with the sudden death of our friend in the Philippines. Beltran was such a fun person to be with. He often times came with us on our gallivanting when in the Philippines. Surely, he would be missed the next time we go to the Philippines, as he seemed to us a member of the family. Rest in peace, Beltran.

We drove Mom's car to New York. Mom was pleased that she has her own car back (the car was left behind as we're not comfortable, her driving that far anymore). Also she want us (Keet and I) see her apartment. We stayed a couple of night in Paul's place and had a mini vacation. Judy (Paul's wife) made sandwiches to bring with us for our boating around Lake George. We stopped by Sagamore hotel for cocktails. A very nice huge place that overlooks Lake George. Paul dropped us off at Albany airport the next day. Hugbun was amused when an airport screener asked him why my toiletries wasn't in a small resealable bag so Peter called me (I was seating on a chair tying back my shoe laces) gleefully (I might say) to point it out (he told me to put the toiletries in the bag but I didn't listen). Anyway, the screener just played it down and reminded me to put them in the bag next time, and off we went home.

November 2006

We were so busy cleaning and repainting the soon to be Keet's room (grandma's old room). The laying of the bathroom floor was the most consuming part of this whole thing. But boy, the end result is so girlie and pretty, keet is so pleased with her new bedroom.

The bathroom floor that has given us grief ;-) ...

We just had a quite birthday celebration for Keet. We went to a Thai restaurant and invited her Godmother. The four of us had a grand time eating our favorite Thai dishes.

Keet's Godmother...

December 2006

Keet had her first formal dance, the Snow Ball. It was so stressful finding a dress that time of the month. Shoppers are everywhere, doing last minute Christmas shopping. After going half a dozen store, we finally found a dress that we all like. We dropped her off the night of the dance hoping that she would have a great time. She had a blast, four hours of fun! Keet took a lot pictures with the digicam that she brought.

Keet getting ready for the dance...

Christmas 2006

My family always love Christmas. Being a Filipina I'm very used to having the celebration of Christmas on the Eve as oppose of celebrating it on the Christmas Day. We have a tradition, that I always have my cooking marathon (a once a year phenomenon ;-)) on the Eve. I cook all Filipino dishes on the Eve, that way I could still feel the Filipino Christmas. Christmas Eve dinner for us is an informal one. I just put all the Filipino food on the table and eat whenever or wherever anyone wants. Then we have the American tradition of having a set down dinner on Christmas Day that Hugbun would be in charge (a Christmas goose). I just don't fell Christmassy if all we do is the Christmas Day dinner.

Noche Buena...

All of us were ill this Christmas. At first Hugbun had this very nasty cough and then I got it, then Keet. We didn't invite anybody as we're not up to it. Imagine the food and just the three of us. Hugbun wondered why I bother to cook the usual stuff when there are only us. I told him that if I don't do it, I would die. Here I am, sick and with no Filipino food on Christmas!? Anyway, Even if we're sick we still enjoy the holiday. Christmas is always special for us.

Keet Would Start High School!!!

Tomorrow is Keet's high school orientation. Her school, St Elizabeth Seton will start this Friday. Peter and I can't believe that our Keetbug would start high school already. Wow how time flies! Then college! I'd better not think about this so much or it would just overwhelmed me.

Mom Is Moving Out

Mom ( mother in-law ) is going back to live in NY sometime this September. She made a down payment for an apartment while she was in NY a couple of months ago ( while we're in the Philippines ). Her apartment would just be 10 minutes ride from Paul's family (hugbun's brother), so we don't have to worry about her that much. We're planning to do the musical room again ( Hugbun's term - as we just finished remodelling/decorating the attic for our room, Keet is using our old bedroom and Keet's bedroom into the music room ). We're going to move back down to the main floor and into our old bedroom and move Keet to where Mom is using. The funny thing is I'm really looking forward redecorating the rooms. I guess Hugbun is not looking forward in moving furniture again ;-).

The attic bedroom...

The music room...

Back to our old bedroom...

Grandma and Keet...

Today is another scorcher day. The temperature outside is 88 Fahrenheit! I always tell Hugbun that our summer here is hotter than in the Philippines. Anyway, Keet and I have no intention in going out today with this heat.

Summer in Maryland, note those spiny creatures behind us...they're called horseshoe crab.

Back To Old Routine

Keet and I woke up late today. We chat with our relatives in the Philippines last night until 12 midnight. Those kids are really entertaining. We always enjoyed our chat sessions with them.

Chatting with May...

Hugbun is in N.Y. to picked up Mom. This is just the second time we're apart. The first time was when Mama died and I have to go to the Philippines for a couple of weeks. It's hard if you're not used to it. Anyway, he's coming home today. Oops, I have to thaw the pork ribs right now for him to grill for dinner tonight. Anyway, I dropped off Peter in the subway early yesterday to catch the bus to the airport. He called me while he was waiting for his flight to N.Y. The security line wasn't bad at all ( airport security is tight because of the terror plot, intelligence uncovered ). It only took 5 minutes for him to be cleared! We were expecting for delays with all the news we watched.
What a surprise! This year we didn't suffer with the jet lag so much. In fact Hugbun didn't even have a jet lag, he's back to work a week after we came home from the Philippines. Keet and I had a little. Usually, our jet lag would last for a couple of weeks!
Keet and I did a lot of weeding in the garden for a couple of days. Peter mowed the lawn a couple of days after we arrived. The yard looks much better now. I got some sore muscles though .

Back To The U.S...back to the U.S.

We arrived home on July 25. It's amazing how quite it is after all the noise and ruckus of the Philippines. We're glad to see that the house is still standing ;) ! Keet is always amazed of how big her cats are, compared to "her" cats in the Philippines whenever we come home from vacations.

Yup, the house is still standing ;)...

Wow, the garden looked like a jungle. I think I even saw a lion, tiger and a bear! Now I know what we would be doing in the wee morning hours of our jet lag days. We're known to have our breakfast at 3:00 in the morning after coming back from the Philippines before.

The garden pre-jungle ;)...

Goodbyes

We had our despededa ( going away ) party hosted by Jun and his girl friend Chay the night before we go back to the U.S. I must say that Filipinos really know how to party.

Horsing around with cousins on the night before departure...

Goodbyes is such a drag and it sucks. Anyway, the whole village send us off to the airport on July 24 and had our tearful goodbyes. We had 12 hours lay over in Hong Kong! It wasn't so bad as we thought. In Hong Kong there are lounge areas that you can really stretch to sleep. We had a little " nap " ( for what's it's worth ) to prepare for our loooong trip home. Our flight was direct from Hong Kong to LA! Usually we had to stopped over in Vancouver to refuel/pick up passengers. So, the direct flight was a surprised and a bonus. The flight home was uneventful and smooth, no delays or whatsoever.

Hongkong Airport lounge...