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A Silent Night

My Tatay (father) turns 70 today.

My father came from a big family. His father had quite a few wives so he has a lot of half-sisters and half-brothers as well. Good thing he did not turn out to be a ladies man like his father. He has always been a loyal husband and a loyal father. I never met his father nor his mother – my grand parents – since my father was orphaned really young. He is the youngest in his family so he came to his sisters as his mother/father figure.

My father is a great disciplinarian. He had this special call//whistle done thru his tongue/mouth and when we heard this loud shrilly sound, we’d all come running home from wherever we were. He made sure we had dinners togeher and had outings as well.

I’ve always been a Daddy’s girl. I remember telling off my mother to my dad as soon as he comes in the door after a day’s work. When asked who I loved more (they always ask that when you are small). My answer would alway be “Tatay” ofcourse. Whenever he would ask me to ran an errand for him (e.g. buy a few sticks of cigarettes – Hope was the brand name I always bought for him then), I always end up with a few loose change in my pocket. And whenever I’d ask for money, he’d simply put his hand in his pocket and give to me whatever is there. He was a generous man and still is.

I think he showed me off to his co-workers then as well. The stories were ridiculous so I’d rather not publish anything about it here. As far as I know, it just shows how proud he is of me.

Tatay used to have luscious and thick black hair. I remember how shiny and sticky it was. He used a lot of pomade then. Now, its thinned out and you can see more of his head. I’ve always thought that I got my hair genes from my Tatay. I just hope mine doesn’t thin out like his did.

Speaking of hair, Tatay is a great barber. He does not do it for a living but he cuts every guy’s hair in our family (except my husband’s – I guess, hubs is too scared my dad will cut something else, he!he!). Even his friends come to him for their regular hair cut. Hey, I think he even gets paid sometimes.

In the process of migrating here to Canada , the medical tests showed a few irregulaities in his lungs and that was the end of his smoking. He dropped it just like that and I am so happy he did. Oh, the sacrifices you do for your family. I guess, he really wanted all of us to live a good life. Well, that’s how its always been perceived…life in the Western world is more prosperoous. But that’s not what my post is about, so …let me go on.

On our 2nd year here, he had a heart attack which thank God was only mild but nonetheless, it has brought him so much pain and the on set of athritis, high blood pressure and diabetis came as well. So now, he takes different kinds of pills everyday. I am just thankful that he is still with us today and celebrating his life with his children and grand children all together.

We’ve been planning to get a big party going for him but it fell under the cracks . So the family decided to give him a surprise gift instead. A trip to Las Vegas for him and my mother.

Today however, we will have a small impromptu get together and greet him with lots of hugs and kisses.

So to you Tatay, I love you and may you stay longer and live a healthier senior life.

here is Dr. Oz 4 week plan
In this country, we’re facing all kinds of addictions – and beating them may be the #1 health challenge we face. Whether you’re addicted to nicotine, carbohydrates, salt or sugar, we all need a little help kicking the habit.

Try this 28-day challenge to reduce the amount of sugar you consume – you’ll feel healthier, and if you stick with it, you might just extend your life.

In this country, we’re facing all kinds of addictions – and beating them may be the #1 health challenge we face. Whether you’re addicted to nicotine, carbohydrates, salt or sugar, we all need a little help kicking the habit.

Try this 28-day challenge to reduce the amount of sugar you consume – you’ll feel healthier, and if you stick with it, you might just extend your life.

Overview The Action Plan: Get Started! When you eat sugar, it stimulates the release of dopamine into the nucleus accumbens, which makes you feel pleasure. The brain recognizes and likes this feeling and begins to crave more. It may startle you to learn that heroine, morphine and sugar all stimulate the same receptors in your brain.

It takes 28 days to detox from most addictive substances, and sugar – hidden in fast food, low-fat options and condiments – is certainly an addictive substance. On this plan, you’ll detox, eliminate hidden sugars and learn how to incorporate alternative sweeteners.

Week 1: DetoxTake a deep breath – you’re not going cold turkey. Cut back on the amount of sugar you add to foods (no more than a teaspoon!) Instead of buying and consuming processed foods that include sugar, try buying healthier alternatives – like whole wheat cereals – and adding 1 tsp. of sugar. This puts you in control of the amount of sugar you’re consuming.

Week 2: Eliminate Hidden SugarsHunt down hidden sugars hiding in your cabinets and pantry. Throw away foods containing high amounts of added sugars, everything from tomato sauces to ketchup to peanut butter. Be especially wary of low-fat items as they often contain more sugar to make them taste better.

When purging your kitchen, be on the look out for these names:
FructoseMaltoseSorbitolEvaporated cane juiceSyrupsXylotolSugars ending in “ol” or “ose”

Week 3: Use Alternative SweetenersInstead of sugar, try using the following alternative sweeteners:

Stevia
Non-caloric herb from ParaguayVery sweet with slight licorice tasteFound at health food, specialty and grocery stores with the dietary supplements – not with sweeteners.

Agave Nectar
Made from blue agave cactus grown in MexicoHigh in calories, but you only need a very small amountFound at vitamin stores.

Week 4: Trick Your Taste BudsUsing fresh spices and herbs can trick taste buds into thinking you’re eating something sinfully sweet. Try adding cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla or allspice to your coffee, cereals and baked goods.

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is doing awesome!.

Crunchy numbers

The Leaning Tower of Pisa has 296 steps to reach the top. This blog was viewed about 1,100 times in 2010. If those were steps, it would have climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa 4 times

In 2010, there was 1 new post, growing the total archive of this blog to 223 posts. There were 4 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 1mb.

The busiest day of the year was June 18th with 34 views. The most popular post that day was 2007 1st Christmas Tree Blog Parade: Here at Munimuni.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, en.search.wordpress.com, bwzone.wordpress.com, rpc.blogrolling.com, and obama-scandal-exposed.co.cc.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for blue moon, love forever, silent night, tabing dagat, and piolo.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

2007 1st Christmas Tree Blog Parade: Here at Munimuni December 2007
8 comments

Blue Moon September 2006
10 comments

Don Bosco High School 1986: Baguio City, Philippines December 2007
16 comments

A Silent Night December 2007
9 comments

Sa Tabing Dagat July 2008
17 comments

June 1st 1960 – that’s the day my parents got married. and you can say…the rest is history!

Marking this important event in their life, the kids (yes – all 6 of us) together with the spouses and all the grandchildren prepared , organized and mitigated the event to remember such momentous event.

After months and months of preparation, weeks and weeks of practices and endless nights of editing, tweaking , hair pulling and everything else, the event came. Uncles and cousins from Miami , New york and Montreal came. Brother and family from California spent bonding time with siblings . All in alll……? It was a success. I asked my Nanay if she was having fun…and she said yes. I asked Tatay if he was happy and he said yes. What else can I ask for.

Thank God it only happens once in a lifetime!!!!

Happy 50th my dear parents! We love you!!!

more photos posted in Facebook

But what do I have here waiting for me to open?
Ta dah….! A pre-Christmas present?

From crafts

A few weeks ago, I joined a contest at etsyireland dot blogspot dot com, thanks to Little miss Firefly for leading me to such a wonderful website. I am a lover of crafts myself and would not miss an opportunity like this. Hey, maybe the green little elves dusted me with their lucky charms. Coz what do you know, I got this great news email from Tanya that I WON, woohoo!!!!

And here is what me and my daughter were so excited to open, what little presents which brought big shrieks of laughter and giggles . Definitely all smiles. Take a look at them yourself and let me see those smiles on your faces.

From crafts

From crafts

WOW! What a great start to December indeed! Thanks to the Etsy Ireland crafters for bestowing me this wonderful gift of crafty creativity. So, head on over to their Etsy sites and shop on those Christmas presents for your loved ones and yourself.
Click on the thumbnails below to see a bigger picture.

From Gwen of Silver Soul Design
lovely earrings

From crafts

From crafts

From Ruth of Nice Day Designs
a pretty pocket mirror

From crafts

From crafts

From Kamila of Nice Art Things
beautiful earrings

From crafts

Jill of Blue Serendipity
these were the first of the crafts I have worn… I love the earrings and the bracelet…thanks Jill

From crafts

From crafts

From Edana of Sailmaker’s Daughter
lovely Christmas ornaments

From crafts

From crafts

From Bridget of Brid Bird
pretty cards and some fridge magnets

From crafts

From crafts

From Aisling of AislingKiernan
Gorgeous, gorgeous prints

From crafts

From crafts

from Natalie of The Blue Sylph
i love all the items…I even got my daughter to model the flower hair clip

From crafts

From crafts

from Alex of Propeller

cute paper ornaments and cards

From crafts

From crafts

From Nancy of from Nancenet Designs
Ladybugs, Leaf and the Aphid Push Pins

From crafts

And from Tanya of the Happy Heart Place

From crafts

From crafts

From crafts

These photos does not do justice to all the creativity and the hard work put into creating these items. I could not fit all the photos here so drop by the Etsy Ireland team!!!

Happy shopping everyone!!!

I just finished reading The Time Traveler’s wife. It is a beautiful story. A love story.

A man with a time-traveling gene uses his innate abilities to visit his lover at different points in her life.

As I read the book page by page, I felt I was somehow transformed as Claire waiting for my Henry to come home. Feeling the hopes and the joys of being in love with someone who changes in front of me dramatically in years of my life. The love was so intense, I felt I could be there and not regret it because of such undying love given and received. Or sometimes I felt as though I was Henry travelling in the past and at the same time waiting so much to be in the presesnt.

I know I am such a hopeless romantic. I laughed and I cried in this story. I travelled back in time and into the future with Henry. Although I was not the author, I wished I could change the words so I can let the moments linger a little longer and the time spent between Henry and Claire can be prolonged.

But I suppose any story must have an ending. Was it sad? Was it happy one? I think it all depends on how you perceive it as the reader.

Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt made headlines when they bought the film rights to Niffenegger’s novel before it was released to the public. Imagine if they had the chance to film the movie? It is supposed to be in production now, but I’m not really sure who will play the main characters. I just have to wait and see.

I can only write about how I felt towards this book. If you want to read a better and more professional review, Click here.