little girl tries on the chair

for a few weeks now, Vivian's second permanent tooth has been slowly coming out but then the original tooth stubbornly decided to stick around. This was unlike the first one where the old tooth just decided drop as it was.

The dentist was great with the little-girl...she let her play with the chair's buttons and other gadgets first before the pinprick(s) and quickly pulled out the milk tooth. Vivian was really brave and didn't cry at all... until 2 seconds after it was pulled out. All was well though upon our entry into the nearest Baskin Robbins shop.









A few days after though, tragedy, of the canine variety, struck again. The wife's crown got pulled out (screw and all). The same doc accommodated us - in between appointments - as it was an emergency. The doc fixed it - reinserted the screw, gave it a new base, popped-in the crown - however, a caveat...the doc can't guarantee how long the tooth will hold. An old Scotty adage comes to mind, 'I don' know how much longer I can hold 'er t'gether.'

...and right before I click publish...tooth falls yet again

Goodies from Manila

A friend asked me what (food) I missed back home, of course I had a lot in my mind but at that time the craving for chocolates and nuts surfaced. One particular brand of chocolate that I like and a garlicky peanut to crunch while watching TV. Now, I don't miss them anymore because I'm savoring every piece of them with my daughter and hubby.

Thank you very much to the Velarde family who went home for the holidays and brought the goodies here.

Thank you, thank you to the Dalusung Family...Elaine thanks a lot!

Here are the goodies
Royce Bitter and Mild Cacao , though it's not really a Filipino product, I can only source them back home. Once you put it in your mouth then it melts.. hmm yummy.

Adobong mani, I really like the salty and crunchy garlic with it.

Also, I asked for the 2009 Starbucks Planner. I used to have it every year back home, just complete a certain number of coffee orders and you get one planner free. Though for this one , she bought it for me! I love the artworks and the pen, too.

Christmas 2008: Vivian opens her gifts

Happy New Year!

Masayang Pasko 2008

Although 24th was still a working day for me, the family was really in the Christmas mood. Vivian was on edge about the upcoming gift-wrap-tearing session. The wife was busy all day (well most of the day) in the kitchen while I was somewhat busy at work with some customer migration issues. Not quite the way it goes but still...I couldn't be happier with this. Comparing to last year's holidays, where I was driving back from the desert in time for Christmas, this was quite welcome. In any case, after a quick detour to the grocery for some last minute items, I was home.

We had a simple dinner...enough to tide us over until noche buena. Killed time watching tv and waited until it was time to leave. The little girl was reluctant to leave but gave in when we told her we'd come back soon. Vivian left cookies and milk for Santa and his reindeers and went down with mum and dad to the car.

We heard mass at the Holy Spirit Ghala Church. Needless to say for Christmas Eve, the area was packed with devotees, members of the Church, and what seemed like an all Filipino choir. It was celebrated by several priests including a Filipino priest who actually gave the sermon. The mass was held out doors, right outside the church and essentially closing out the parking area for the masses. It was a perfectly cool night for prayer and reflection. And it felt good to be around people who were of your own beliefs and traditions. Growing up in the Philippines, one gets accustomed to things that normally play out during the season. Living in a country that is predominantly non-Christian serves to highlight the difference and makes one appreciate things you had previously taken for granted - making the celebration more solemn and more real - if that makes any sense. I blather. Anyways, after a lengthy mass, of about 2 hours I think, we went back home.

The little-girl's reactions were just indescribable. Eyes popping out, she exclaimed...'Mommy!! Santa came already!!' pointing out the missing cookies, empty milk glass and the unmistakable gift-that-wasn't-there-before. Her wide-eyed grin was simply priceless. After a wonderful noche buena, which included (homemade) suman at mangga, our favourite chocolate and butter cakes, and purefoods fiesta ham (a gift from a kabayan friend) the little girl dashed (and pranced) to the tree and handed out our gifts for the tearing. We all opened our gifts - of the course, Vivian had more to open but for each gift she opened , her enthusiasm never withered. The simplest way to describe it is that she was just simply happy and excited with all of it. It was amazing. Even Thess commented on how simply happy Vivian was...it was in her eyes. Ang saya-saya lang talaga nya. Her eyes said it all

Christmas 2008

seen...

'the week' is a local (news)paper of choice covering the goings-on of the various residents of Oman. this week's edition covered a whopper-of-a-concert and caught its attendees smiles. Of all the thousands, smiles of a select few were caught on film...er...camera.

Guess who....?

Paolo, Gabriel...and o yeah, GaryV

The gates opened at 6PM and, not really knowing what happens during concerts here in Oman, we played the good citizens and were right on time even though the program was to actually start at 9PM. Slowly, but surely, the open-aired theatre (Qurum Amphitheatre) got packed with hundreds of other kababayans. After about a three hour wait, we were treated to three hours of ...Gary V.

Even at fourty-four years, this guy can make an entire coliseum move to his rythmn with so much ease - even those rythmically challenged. Twenty five years into his career, he can make everyone shriek, yell and scream with just the first three notes of his songs. Keep pace with his son, Gab, half his age on the dancefloor. Deliver powerful songs with his other son, Paolo (who I believe has the more powerful voice). Bottomline, the guy still has it. Although, one thing I do miss from his performances of late, him and the Manuevers on his wings. Here's hoping he's not through yet...

the big '6' (video)

the big '6'

Vivian hits the big 6 today! As in past years, she treats her classmates to some cake (cupcakes) mum made. Vivian also gave away balloons and party favors. All Viv's classmates are such darlings...coming into the room with the goodies, you can literally see their eyes popping along with those big enthusiastic smiles. They sang the birthday song so loud and with so much umph! that you really didn't want them to stop.

After school, mum treated her to another round of painting in Cafe Ceramique. I picked them up from there after work and bought her this big Bratz balloon in Al Shatti. That was her prize for being nice to Grace, her classmate, earlier in school. She had agreed to give her own balloon to Grace after seeing that the latter had lost it to the wind during home time.

Back in the car, we surreptitiously told the girl that we were going home already and that that was it for the day. She agreed and didn't sound sad or otherwise. I proceeded to drive but then she asked why we were passing by a different route. I made some casual remark about trying something new which she accepted without much ado. As the road opened up, she saw the Grand Hyatt hotel on her window and suddenly exclaims, 'You tricked me! We're having CRAB tonight!!' And we all started laughing because she was right. We had dinner at another favorite restaurant, Marjan which is a poolside restaurant in Hyatt. Needless to say, bondat kaming lahat sa pepper crab...yes, for someone who doesn't like spicy food - she LOVES pepper crab.

Happy 6th little big girl!!