Mom started complaining of pains around her neck and both shoulders and she knew right then and there it was her arthritis on attack. (She has rheumatoid arthritis.) She was also certain the culprit was the beans in the chili con carne, among other food she feasted on. Okay, next time I’ll be more careful with what I cook. Definitely no more legumes of any kind.

Good thing she’s okay now after taking some pain relievers. The funny thing about it is that her body responded well to the generic medicines over the branded ones. Looks like it knows that generic meds are cheaper and the kind daughter can save on money buying them.

As usual, I was the one in charge of the kitchen. I cooked several dishes and set up the table once I was done. And then we took pictures of the food, ourselves and ourselves with the food (in no particular order). Haha. It’s always fun to do this, I tell you, especially with my mom who is the craziest among us when it comes to posing in front of the camera. She’s a natural camwhore!

Happy 2012! Where and with whom did you celebrate the New Year?

Right now, all I want is to treasure the moments I’ve had with them and keep the happy memories in my heart. I know I don’t come from a perfect family (who does, anyway?) but the family I have is something I wouldn’t trade for any other. The family I have is the best in the sense that they complete me and inspire me to be a better person every single day.

Love of family, I think this is something that every person needs to have to survive. It is as basic a need as the food that we eat, the air that we breathe, and the home that we live in. I’m just so grateful that I have an overflowing love from my family that I can always enjoy and bathe in. An unconditional love from my family that serves as my support system as I move on with my life and work to achieve my goals.

Advance Happy New Year, friends! I hope that just like me, you also have a loving family to come home to every single day of your lives.

I’m happy that I get to spend Christmas with my family. I’m thankful that we get to celebrate Christmas together. I know of other families who don’t get to experience the same because they’re not complete. It’s either the parents are working abroad or they’re not around anymore.

Hopefully, after I have gotten married next year, I will still be able to join my family during Christmas. I know there will be changes because I have my own family then, but I will really make way for us to still have the family bonding time that we deserve.

How was your Christmas? Did you spend it with you family?

When O told me about her headache last week, I asked her to take some medicine immediately. When I got home that same day, I saw her lying in bed nursing a fever that would eventually develop into flu. I tried not to panic and took care of her the entire night and the following day.

When sick, O is hard to take care of. She usually eats very little and vomits her food right after. There were a few times when I was taking care of her that she even vomited her medicine along with her food. I got so desperate about her condition that I had to fetch my mom in Cavite and bring her to Manila so she could take care of O.

Moms are really great nurses. A day after my mom took care of O giving her medicines, massages and all, she rose up as if nothing had happened to her. I hope that when someday I’d be a mom myself, I could be as good a nurse as my mom is.

I feel for my fellow countrymen at this turbulent time in their lives. It’s sad that Christmas is just around the corner and yet, they can no longer celebrate as much as they want because of the tragedy that befell them. I can only hope and pray that the much-needed help from the national government and all those charitable organizations reach them fast. I am certain, though, that God will provide for all their needs. All they need to do is to call on Him and keep their faith as strong as ever.

I call on you (yes, you who are reading this!) to pray for the safety and well-being of our fellow countrymen in Cagayan de Oro and the nearby provinces that were affected by the typhoon. Let’s be united in prayers that they get the help they need fast and they be spared from further devastation and loss.

Would you believe that for nine years my family and I had lived apart? I was in Manila then getting college education while they were in a faraway province called Negros Oriental. One by one, I was able to get them back here in Manila, for us to live together again (yes, that’s the breadwinner in me speaking). It’s a long story, so I’ll just keep it as short as that.

I have always considered celebrating Christmas with my family as a blessing. For me, Christmas is all about love and hope and family. It’s always with family. I can’t imagine spending Christmas with people I barely know (though it could be fun, too, but in a different way).

I dunno about you, but my Christmas isn’t complete without my family whom I love so much, who inspire me to live each day to the fullest and who value me for who I am and what I’ve been doing to keep our lives as secure, happy and blessed as it is today.

With whom are you celebrating Christmas this year?

My brother D joined in only after he had finished the reviewer for the tutorial work he’s doing part-time. He cleaned up our bathroom, mopped the floor and changed our bed sheets.

When snack time came, they were all done cleaning and my brother D treated us to a Jollibee merienda of spaghetti, burger and fries. Because I was sick, I only ate very little food. Anyway, because of the general cleaning that my three siblings did, our house looked happier and more alive. I wish they do it more often.

These are the things I’m thinking of wrapping up for them just in time for Jesus’s birthday: a gold necklace for my mom (she loves everything that’s shining-shimmering-splendid!), a new pair of shoes for my dad (I think he needs a leather pair for formal occasions), a new backpack for my teacher brother (the one he’s using right now is worn-out already!), and for my two sisters: cute undergarments (just because they’re girls and love fancy stuff, haha).

If I could get these gift items at cheap prices, I’d be the happiest girl. Hmmm, now where do I shop? Landmark, Divisoria or Baclaran? I’m get giddy and excited whenever I think about shopping gifts for my family!

How about you, have you started checking off your list of people to give Christmas presents to?

the fiancee installing OS and MS Office to our new desktop

Specs wise, I think we got a great deal. We were actually accompanied by the fiancee (an IT expert) as we went from one store to another checking out and comparing prices. In the end, we settled for the one from PC City because they had all that we wanted for our desktop.

my brother after assembling the computer table

the computer table that yours truly bought

the fiancee’s sister tinkering with our new PC

My teacher brother is paying for the new PC thru credit card installment and I can’t be more grateful to him for his generosity. I also admire him for his willingness to take the big responsibility of paying for the device. After all, it is never easy to allot a big part of your salary for debt-servicing. I’m glad to have sent to college a responsible brother like him. Now, all we need is internet subscription to make things more complete. Well see in the coming days…