I'm home... day 1.

I went back home for the holidays and for my brothers' weddings, and ofcourse to see all my friends! I had to go to work that day, rush back home immediately after lunch and then catch my flight by night time. I WAS TIRED! But it's those type of tired stamina/adrenaline rush that i like. I was just looking forward and very, very excited. As I was on my stopover for my flight back home, I was really really ready to jump out of the plane! My palms were sweating and I was just beaming happy. I was ready to see everybody!!!

Waiting for a familiar face outside the arrival area in the airport was a TORTURE!!! And when my kuya did show up, he and his wife-to-be dragged me down south for my bridesmaid duties.

First stop: one and only gown fitting. (They had to alter the dress two sizes down, ofw life = homesick diet plan)

Second stop: Had to wait somewhere around the airport as my youngest brother's flight was just an hour after mine. How suspenseful! I was home... NOT! Almost but not quite.

Third stop: HOME SWEET HOME

Seeing everyone just felt soo good. Seeing our home just made me want to scream "I'm hooooooooooooooooooooome!!!" (ofcourse I dint do that!) With no electricity in our area and on an ordinary Sunday... what the heck! I havent been not home for not even more than a year! But it felt soo nice to be getting hugs and kisses from familiar faces, my family who seemed just as eager as I was to see and be with.

During the festivities one of my nieces just said out loud "Mommy is it christmas already?" To them it might have felt xmas already because of the gifts but for me it felt like xmas already because I was around family.

Fourth stop: Ice cream house. We needed a break, well more like airconditioning and something cool... and sweet ofcourse!

Fifth stop: TIME FOR FRIENDS BONDING!

My brother reluctantly dropped me off a friend's house just some minutes short of midnight. It was good!!!! We decided to head out... well ok, i requested for a hooka night.



I was really tired that night, but I was ready to enjoy with my friends. Seeing them was like catching up on each other but not really on the stuffs we missed about each others' lives. It was more like catching up on the stories with matching facial expressions, hand gestures, and some re-enactments and demonstrations.

Sixth stop: We're ready to heat it out...

OK by this time, the sun was about to rise and some really had to go. And so our group had to part ways. Like the usual, the good gurls and the very good gurls. The good gurls are those that go home after their curfews, just atleast to make it in time before their parents get up. And us, the very good gurls, are those that dont come home, head out to find any 24hr party place, and just hope and pray to have enough time to go to work right after, or atleast to find a good excuse or a sub for work.




The very good gurls with a very good spot and with our very good poses!



I went back home and got caught in between tigris and euphrates with my friends all in one day!

hahaha. fun fun fun days!!! Cant wait to come back soon! That was just day 1.



photo aka Just girls wanting to have fun!

12:12 ratio of bros n sis to nieces n nephews

On April 20, our dear family welcomed Chase Mohann.



I remember the day before, the expectant dad was telling me on our usual updating phone convos that he thinks they will have it anytime then. He was right. His guts, or maybe a lot of nerves did tell him right. Just about 6:30 a.m. ET i got another call from him saying they were in the delivery room already. I actually got a vm and thank god i caught up with him in time.

Me and my kuyas are never the dramatic ones, unless on some rare festivities i guess. But then I remember kuya nong then as he was telling me the accounts of their "false alarm", in between mocking and scaring each other, he did admit to me that he was really nervous. That the whole false alarm scenario suddenly gave him the nerves... aawww my kuya!!!



Can't help it... it seems like it was just yesterday when i was tagging along kuya nong's and charm's carpool. and now they are the proud parents of my nephew # 12!



photo aka just bragging about genes.

This is me in 12 parts

I have a big family, a HUGE one actually. To date, i remember if there's anything i would have to sit through to introduce myself--- whether a first day at work or at school, i know my family will always be a part of my spiel. I had yet to be at a group where there's someone like me who has 11 more brothers and sisters; all from the same mom and dad too, if i may add! And if i do meet someone in the future, well it would be very interesting to exchange our own family stories ala cheaper by the dozen style!

My family has always been my x-factor. I can talk for hours about how much i look up to my mom and dad, about how much i am influenced by my sisters, and how much i am fond of my brothers! Plus, now! i also have my nieces and nephews... which is a complete story on its own!

I will be honest, in our family there's this bubble we are all just in and no one just POPS in and just gets in the bubble with us right away. Ok, maybe not a bubble, i guess an entire different universe, or ok maybe just a planet. But whatever it is, we are all really, very close and we have this connection backed up by family secrets, inside jokes, childhood memories, travel in/experiences, a gazillion family portraits, our special stories, and so many more others on that same line! In fairness to my family, when u do get past the intimidations we really do treat everyone aka in-laws very, very well. In fact! If we actually do like u the first time, it is even better. We know family treatment best and so it is easy for us to spread it around. They all stay in the bubble so ur good as long as ur in the bubble.

So here is us, all dressed up for my mom's 60th birthday, happy and clowning around. Just like always. But then again... not really. Cos my dad is just not in the picture.


photo aka just us 12

1 down.

There's too much catching up to do. So many stories to share, photos to reveal, and laughs and hugs to remember. My year here went by fast. And looking back, the most memorable of it all was the month that i was back at home. But for now, this has been my home away from home. Or maybe ... NOT!




photo aka just too much snow