Michi Photostory

Nevertheless, we have to live in the present because we know that we can’t bring them back. We are here for a reason so let us enjoy every minute of it. Let us embrace the season and experience the true meaning of Christmas which is hope, peace, and joy. 

And amidst the COVID19 pandemic, we must enjoy the Yuletide season. Actually, I was not expecting anything last month because I know that I will be stuck at home. But looking back, I am thankful that even there is community quarantine we were able to celebrate the holiday with friends and family. Naenjoy ko naman dahil nakalabas ako. Hehehe! 

Although my schedule was pretty hectic because of the holiday rush, I felt happy and alive. Happy because I was able to finish my gift list, thanks to online shopping. Alive because I’m back to crafting and the majority of my gifts are personalized. Thanks to my Cricut Maker. Sobrang useful niya, I made my own Christmas card, tag, stickers, and decals. I haven’t shared pa pala mga Cricut projects ko except for the DIY Christmas Ornaments. 

My husband has been working from home since the start of community quarantine so no travel trips until further notice. So I was shocked when he told me na may Christmas party sila. Anyway, konti lang naman sila so may social distancing naman talaga. They booked two Teppanyaki tables at Yurakuen so 2 persons per table. I will share more of this in a separate post but for now, you can check my old post about Yurakuen Eat All You Can Teppanyaki. 

One of the advantages of Online Distance Learning, tipid sa gastos because I don’t need to pay for school service, no school events so walang potluck like Christmas party. Virtual party lang mga students, sabay-sabay lang sila nagkainan ng own snacks nila. May pagames pero wala prizes. Hehehe! 

On the same day, my husband went to Chef RV Manabat Cafe to buy cakes and pasta. Finally, natikman ko na rin yung cakes nila and meron na naman nadagdag sa list namin when it comes to cakes and pasta. This deserves a separate post. 

I seldom join contests or giveaways but if I like the prizes and if the mechanics are easy, join na ko. I am not expecting that I will win so I was really happy when I woke up and learned that I won $50 from Styled Stock Society Giveaways. Sinagot ko lang yung tanung na kung ano gagawin ko kung manalo ko ng $50. Yey! 

We normally have a Christmas get-together with my mommy friends but this time, nagdinner lang kami sa Southwoods Mall. It was nice seeing them even for a few hours. 

During the regular school days, exam muna bago party but this time nauna yung Christmas Party before the exams. And yes, may Saturday class pa. When I thought na makakapahinga na sa lessons, hindi pala. Ang dami homework ng anak ko na due din within the Christmas break. 

If we are not stuck at home, for sure maiinis ako kasi hindi maenjoy ang break pero dahil nasa bahay lang naman, okay na rin at least busy anak ko sa pagtahi, pagferment ng food, at iba pa. 

After graduation, my college friends and I make sure that we have a yearly get-together pero may time na hindi natutuloy because our schedule won’t meet. The last time I saw them was during my father’s wake, sa lamay pa talaga kami nagkita-kita. Since mahirap mag-gather ngayon, nagZoom party na lang kami pero nakakaloka, virtual party na lang hindi pa rin kami nakumpleto. Hehehe! 

Since 11.11 Sale, I’ve been ordering online for my Christmas gifts and because of that, hindi talaga ko makaalis ng bahay kakahintay. Yung monthly visit ko sa dentist hindi ko nagawa dahil sa kakahintay ng order ko. Hehehe! So I stopped ordering na, kahit may 12.12 sale pa kasi gusto ko makalabas ng bahay. 

And dahil wala na ko pending order, sumama ko kay hubby sa grocery, it’s been a long time since my last visit sa Landers. Gusto ko maggrocery kapag holiday season, parang ang dami ko kasi gusto kainin. Lol

I started preparing for our family Christmas get-together. My husband bought 1kl of scallops and 1kl of curacha (red frog crab). If you remembered, I ordered Japan Jumbo Scallops last time but I find it expensive kasi P800 for 9 pieces so nagtry kami ng from Zamboanga. Oh my, inabot ako ng oras sa paglinis and dahil maliit lang siya, nagshrink pa nung niluto ko sa butter. I was supposed to bake it just like my Baked Mussels, kaso ang konti lang so tinamad na ko.

After breakfast, we started preparing for our Christmas potluck, we cooked Sausage and Mushroom Pasta + Toasted Bread, Singaporean Chili Crab, Fried Chicken, Mushrooms, and Beef Bulgogi for the grill. I also prepared games for kids and adults. 

I was supposed to cook pa for our Christmas Eve pero tinamad na ko so hindi ko na dinagdagan yung food namin, 3 lang naman kami. We had Buttered Scallops, Sausage and Mushroom Pasta, Toasted Bread, and Leche Flan.

We have this Christmas tradition that we will go to Tagaytay for church service and breakfast. But because of the community quarantine, we don’t know if we can do this pero sabi ni hubby kahit magroad trip lang daw kami ng makasagap naman kami ng fresh air. Lol. I told him, magpapagod pa kami kung iikot lang. Pero ang ending, we still took a chance and went to Tagaytay. Nagroad trip kami and ended up at Sonyas Garden, our initial plan was to buy our favorite Hispanic Bread so we have something to eat, if ever hindi kami makatake-out ng food sa mga fastfoods. But thank God, they allowed us to eat at their restaurant, wala tao. Yehey! 

My siblings and I have an annual get-together, it is either before or after Christmas. Now, it is a little different because my late sister is no longer here so we just went to her house. Hay, sadness.

Holiday so my husband and I went to Alba Restaurante Espanol to pay for our order, we bought some wine and cold cuts too for our New Year’s Eve meal. Then we went to SM Department Store to buy some stuff for our kitchen and bedroom. 

After breakfast, I prepared salad while my husband picked up the Alba Cochinillo for our potluck. We just took this picture before going to my in-laws. 

For our New Year’s Eve, we had charcuterie, sliced fruits, dinner rolls, wine, and juice. We enjoyed our dinner so for sure, gagawa ulit ako ng cheese board. 

We kept our holiday decors na, sobrang excited lang magdeclutter. Hehehe! 

January 4 

Back to school so back to regular programming but my husband was still on leave for another week kahit wala kami alis. Sayang kasi yung Vacation Leave, mafoforfeit lang so vacation kahit nasa bahay lang.