Happy New Year!!!!!

Last night we welcome the year of the ox with a bang. Here in our area, there are lots of fireworks and firecrackers. It's surprising that people spend thousands of pesos for those amazing fireworks amidst the crisis. For others, its a good way of welcoming the new year. Its also our first time to spend new year here with my loved ones.

My children came to celebrate with us, only anthony is unable to come because he's spending the new year with his wife's family in cabanatuan.

2008 was a blessed year for us. Though there are some household problems, that did not stop us from griping instead we're looking forward for a more fruitful and prosperous new year. We thank LORD for all the wonderful blessings he had showered us all the years and MAMA MARY for guidance and protection for my family.

Again, happy new year, what happened in 2008 stays there, lets move forward, be positive that we will overcome and survive all the trials, we're used to it and it was proven, whatever happen, we're all survivors. The nation that prays and hopes together, stays together.

To my relatives, friends, colleague, readers and to all the bloggers, a blessed new year. My new year message, it already conveyed on all our pictures with the v-sign, WORLD PEACE.

Hello 2009

While dirk and brian were playing golf, lucy and me decided to hied off to our favorite getaway, the paseo the santa rosa. We then pampered ourselves with foot spa and pedicure. Yesterday, its dirk's turn to have his foot spa and he enjoyed it very much. This time, we tried the pancake house for our yearend lunch.


Here in the Philippines, with a minimal fee, you can afford simple luxus in life. Pampering is our way of giving gift to ourselves for a year of hardwork like relaxing massage, foot spa, hair spa, facials and many others that even the less earners can afford. It's also a nice way of welcoming the new year with high hopes that the coming year will be a more fruitful one.

At SM supermarket, there are long lines in the cashier that we decided not to shop anymore. So i do my last minute shopping for my ingredients at the public market. It's raining but it doesnt stop the people from all walks of life buying foods, firecrackers and most important, the fruits.



I just cooked chicken, vegetable, spaghetti, buy some ready to eat sweets at goldilocks and ordered pancit malabon.

My sister, nephews and my aunt were our first visitors followed by my children later in the night.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE and may all your wishes come true!!!!!

Happy lst Anni-blogsary

Time runs fast and today my cool mom an2nette blog is a year old in the world of blogging and more. I know i still had to learn more about blogosphere but i prefer my blog to be very simple. I just want to document the chronicle of events in my lives, my thoughts, my hopes and dreams which i want to share with my readers and for my loved ones to cherish it forever.

First, i want to thank the LORD and MAMA MARY for making all things possible. For my blog, more and more entries to come and more readers. To the love of my life, dirk, thanks schatz for helping me with the technicalities and for being my number one reader. And to raquel of heidelberg, germany, who inspired me to have my own blog, thanks a lot.

Every monday, the golfcourse is close for maintenance and to retrieve the golfballs. So today we just decided to go to festival mall to buy an induction cooker pan but because of the price 2,700 pesos, we just decided not to buy it. In Germany its more cheaper and the quality is good.

A Relaxing Sunday

This morning, dirk woke up with a severe headache but an ibufropen helped him ease the pain. While he's just relaxing at home, rosebelle and me go to binan public market, a smaller version of divisoria with a very slight difference on the price. I bought again some fabric for dirks golf short.


In the afternoon, dirk is back to his own self and decided to shop at SM muntinlupa for the new years eve get together. Because of our purchase i was given a chance to play in the rollete where i won an e-load for my cellphone.

Mall of Asia by Night

Our saturday was filled with fun and enjoyment when we drive to the mall of asia, one of asia's biggest shopping haven. We browsed around the shops and found ourselves again in one of my favorite shoe store, rusty lopez.


We also watched the mini-concert of Charlie Green, one of the finalist for UK's talent search. I like his voice very much and his rendition of all time favorite songs make me decide to buy his CD.

We then walked along the bay area and surprised to see thousands of people from all walks of life, yound and old, waiting for the fireworks to begin. We positioned ourselves at Mom and Dads seaside restaurant while waiting for the spectacular fireworks display. Like Dampa style, we buy first shrimps, mussels and crab for our dinner. The staff cooked the seafoods the way we like it. Its delicious and we really have fun eating with our bare hands.





Then the amazing fireworks begins which lasted for ten minutes in which you can only hear oooohs and wowsss from the spectators. It was wonderful but very expensive. Kudos to the pasay government and SM for exhibiting such night attractions to the people poor and rich alike.



There are two live bands alternately performing for the diners and bay visitors. They have a powerful voice and their songs captivated the hearts of the audience. We enjoyed very much our first nightlife in manila and we can't help comparing what it is back home in germany- very cold, limited activities and lonely.

Christmas Delicacies

Here in the Philippines, no filipino christmas is ever without bibingka and puto bumbong. These food are always associated with the midnight mass, the dawn mass on the nine days before christmas.

I was not able to attend to any midnight mass but i was able to taste puto bumbong. While they are common as street food, some hotels are also serving this seasonal delicacies.

Puto bumbong is a dish made from purple-colored ground rice cooked in bamboo tubes that are placed in a special steamer-cooker while bibingka is a rice cake baked in a special clay pot lined with a piece of banana leaf.

I promised to the street vendors that i'm going to put their picture on my blog.

Christmas Party

When i blog this morning christmas day, the date was still december 24 because of the german time settings in our computer. And last night because of the midnight fest at home, we did go to bed at 2 in the morning. Still we wake up early enough to attend the christmas party hosted by my youngest sister, myra.


She prepared some food which was cooked by my eldest sister. As the party progress, more and more relatives are coming. We have lots of fun, the kids enjoyed very much the parlor games which we sponsored.


Dirk also played santa to more than 40 children and the big children joined the line too. It was a day full of fun and laughter, the same feeling i missed when we're celebrating the holiday in germany.

Again, MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone!!!!!

Merry Christmas to All !!!!!!

Today, marked the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ. Our country has earned the distinction of celebrating the worlds longest christmas season. My day yesterday started with a beauty treatment at david's salon, a christmas present from my dear friend Lucy Sawyer. I have some hair pampering after which we have lunch at shakeys and do the usual preparation for the coming noche buena.


Last night my children comes in full force including their spouses and kids. It's the first time after eight years that we gather together. Dirk and me were both very happy with the presence of our family members and relatives.

We have games for the kids and the highlight of the night is the gift giving. We received a lot of gifts and dirk was very surprised on how we're celebrating christmas eve. My grandchildren had overwhelming happiness because of the gifts they received which is true to what they say that christmas is for children.


The true spirit of christmas came from the heart in which we only feel the true meaning of christmas if we share the blessings we have, remembering our loved ones, forgiving and caring for the less fortunate. We should also not to forget the most important, thanking the LORD for all the blessings he had given us not only this year but all the years.

Our grandchildren

Our daughters and sons in law

The whole family

The funny side of the girls in the family

My sister and niece
To my former colleagues at TIP-Manila and SLAC, my friends in germany and to all the BLOGGERS and my readers, Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!!!!!