Christmas Celebration and Happy New Year!

Well, it has been quite a Christmas. Like our other past Christmases, this was not lacking in drama.

For Christmas Eve, I made my peach-mango ref cake to bring to our Noche Buena with my grandparents. Leo picked me up at around 930 am for our 10am mass at St. James. Afterwhich, we went to their house where we saw Papa's (hah! I should get used to calling Leo's parents "Papa and Mama". After all, their recent gifts to me was tagged, "From Papa and Mama". Hah! I'm part of the family!) new toys. Papa wanted to buy a flatscreen TV but instead, he bought an LCD projector. Other than that, he bought a folding piano off VENTA5. He was really enjoying his new toys!

I also prepared the ham/cheese bread sticks that Mama asked me to make for the Christmas reunion. We watched dvd's after that.

By 3 pm, we went back to the house where I picked up the gifts that I'm bringing to Makati. We had Domino's for merienda and we left for Makati at around 6 pm. We thought we were early but apparently, we were the last ones to arrive.

It was fun seeing my family again--especially my niece and nephew. Chloe has grown to be very friendly and she's smiling a lot! She can make you laugh by just her smile. However, Miguel has reached the cranky stage wherein strangers make him uneasy and everytime he's not within the proximity of his parents, he breaks out into loud cries.

However, my cousin was late. Lolo did not want to start dinner without him. Apparently, I learned (I live in the same house but I'm always the last one to know!) that cousin and his mother had a disagreement which caused my cousin to leave the house. Christmas Eve was the first time I've seen him in a week! Lolo wanted them to make up but I don't know what happened then. It was just so sad as Lolo was quite upset.

After dinner, we opened presents where I got a nice digital camera from my mom and stepdad (Nikon Funpix!) and a bag from my dad and stepmom. My aunt gave me another bag while my brother and his wife gave me a wallclock (yahoo! Just what I needed). My sister and and her husband gave me a nice pair of earrings.

A few minutes later, Leo and I said our goodbyes where we then proceeded to my sister-in-law's house at BF. We ate (again) and stayed there until 1 am where I saw Leo's nephews opened their gifts finding their PSP's (from their Lolo). Take note, both of them got their OWN PSP!

The next day, I woke up at freaking 6 am (damn my body clock!) and I could not go back to sleep. I went downstairs to get some breakfast and I was quite surprised to find my dad there. Apparently, he was supposed to bring Mamu and Atay to Pampanga. My aunt came down and she was very upset as her car was not tuned properly to make the long drive to Pampanga. She sat on the stairway and started crying (I don't know if due to her car or because of her son). My dad and I tried our best to comfort her but I had to leave when Leo arrived. I just gave her a hug and a pack of tissues.

Leo and I went to church to hear Christmas Day mass and we went to their house where I cooked the ham and cheese sticks that I prepared the previous day, then we waited for the gang to arrive.

It was fun spending time with his family and relatives. I got to know his cousins better and I found out what a funny lot they are. One of his cousins is also getting married next month and we exchanged notes. I'll also be taking down notes during her wedding to see which aspects I can adapt for my wedding.

They also liked the ham and cheese thingee that I cooked. I'm trying to find the Pancit Molo recipe that an aunt gave me way way back. It seems it's one of their favourite dishes but no one knows how to cook it. So I guess I have to learn how to cook it (pogi points!).

Anyway, it's the last working day for the year and I can't wait for the long weekend. I'll be probably spending it with Leo's family again, not that I mind.

Happy New Year!