Our Thanksgiving Day 2014

Hurray for the long weekend! At last, I was able to spend the past three days with my husband.

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is officially on the second Monday of October (so this year it fell on October 12) but Canadians can celebrate it in any day of the long weekend. I've noticed (in my Facebook contacts haha!) that just like us, many preferred to do the special dinner thing on Sunday para walang pasok kinabukasan. Makes sense, right?

Anyway,  before I proceed, let me post this Thanksgiving "wefie" of me and Baby Chicklet . He's 35 weeks and 3 days as of yesterday (October 12).

I was actually too lazy to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner but I realized that we have to at least do something special this weekend to commemorate a special holiday. It's my first experience of Canadian Thanksgiving, after all. Also, we have so many things to be grateful for this year. Aside from finally having our own house, we are about to meet our Little Chicklet soon! Now isn't that life's greatest blessing?

I couldn't cook anymore (not that I really cook lol!) so I asked Pod if we could have some steak na lang. Celebrations mean steak for me eh hehe. Then I also instructed him to buy some vegetables and another dish at T&T para may pandagdag.

I was surprised when he came home with this turkey breast. Haha, oo nga naman. Dapat may turkey kasi Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day has to be celebrated with family so we invited Ate June (our only family here) a few days ago to join us. Too bad she has work yesterday.

And so it was just the two of us who feasted on this humble dinner. I regret not being able to buy autumn flowers, candles, placemats, napkins, etc. Wala tuloy kadecor-decor. Di bale, next year talaga babawi ako. I want all occasions to be special eh.

Turkey Breast, Tofu, Mixed Vegetables, Campbell Noodle Soup, Brown Rice, and Steak

Please don't look for any dessert as I am not allowed to eat sweets. Damn you, Gestational Diabetes!

It was the first time we celebrated Thanksgiving together. At extra na si Chicklet! Ang saya!

I am so thankful to this man. He may look like a hoodlum because of his long hair and beard (grrr!) but believe me, he's the kindest, gentlest husband in the world.

I am indeed a lucky wifey!

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!

Labor Day 2014

This is again something new to me. So Canada pala celebrates Labour Day on the first Monday of September and it is a federal and statutory holiday. At sabay din sila ng United States. Sa Pilipinas kasi, tuwing May 1 ang "Araw ng Mangagagawa."

Picture taken from the net (credits to the owner)

Anyway, I was very excited since long weekend ito. I really wanted to spend more time with Ford. You see, since June, pumapasok siya ng half day sa office kada weekend (either Saturday or Sunday) para bayaran yung "utang" niyang absences last May. He went home to Pinas kasi to attend his grandmother's funeral. He talked to his boss (the owner of the company) and they agreed na papasok na lang siya every weekend so that he can take a few weeks leave this November para sa panganganak ko.

This long weekend was a chance for us to be together longer. However, mukhang palpak haha! As of this very moment, Ford's at work. And he's spent many hours this Saturday and Sunday test driving our new car. Umaga pa lang, gumagala na. Ayaw ko namang sumama kasi ang aga pa. We just went out in the afternoon. Kakaloka!

Admittedly, I am not a "laborer" at this point so walang masyadong relevance sa akin ang araw na ito. Just another ordinary Monday for me. But I am really looking forward to joining the workforce again. Kelan kaya?

#sabogangpostnaito

Our Canada Day 2014

First of all, Ford and I want to express our gratitude to our adoptive country Canada. Our hearts are filled with joy because after a decade of being in a long distance relationship, we are now building our family life together. This became possible because Canada took us in.

Thank you, Canada! We promise to continuously being your good and productive citizens. Mabuhay ka!

My UP doll "ISKO" happy to be holding a Canadian flag :)

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July 1, 2014. This wasn't actually my first experience of Canada Day. I first visited Edmonton in July-August 2012 (when Ford and I were newly married) and we were able to watch the fireworks display at Alberta Legislature Grounds. I remember feeling overwhelmed seeing so many Canadians rejoicing for their beloved country. Their celebration was relatively modest but the Canadian spirit of solidarity was there. It was then that I realized that yeah, I would want to be a Canadian too someday.

Anyway, since I am pregnant, going to a crowded event this year was not an option so the husband and I decided to just celebrate Canada Day at home. We also invited Ate June (Ford's cousin) and Cecil and Claire. Ford and I do not know how to cook (I only cook for my own consumption) so it was just a barbeque event haha!

Ford had to fetch Ate June and Cecil and Claire because they do not drive in Edmonton yet.

Oops, pardon our front porch/stair... hindi pa rin tapos hanggang ngayon!

I planned on buying so many Canada Day paraphernalia (haha, I am such a sucker for all mababaw na bagay!) but my condition hindered me to do so. Di bale, next year na lang.

This was what we feasted in -- steak, pork barbeque, tilapia, mussels, corn.

Our guests really liked my pork barbeque haha! I used Tita Che's recipe for that. Success!

By the way, it was the first time that we 'used' (and enjoyed) our balcony. =)

For dessert, we chose Selecta ice cream! Panlasang pinoy pa rin ang nanaig!

I do not feel confident having my picture taken lately (I am so tamad mag-ayos) so si Chicklet na lang. This is my baby's first ever Canada Day.

  

I am thankful to my husband for bringing me here in Canada. In a few more months, we'll have our own Canadian child na hahaha!

Happy Canada Day! =)

New Year's Eve 2014

A non-traditional new year's eve celebration. That's exactly how I would describe what happened to us last December 31, 2013.

Except for our 13 fruits and one giant round coin-like chocolate,our night can hardly be called a 'celebration' at all (in my standards haha!).

I don't eat fruits (except bananas) so The Husband has no choice but to finish all these!

Bought last minute @ Dollarama 

I originally planned on having a bonggang bonggang media noche because it was our first new year together here in Canada but I changed my mind. Again, we are still living in a very small studio-type apartment with an equally minute kitchen so food preparation is kinda difficult. I've experienced it last Christmas eve. Also, because we lack dining stuff, I will only end up using the same table mat, plates, flatwares, etc. which I do not like. I am not fond of repetitions, especially when I'm posting pictures online haha!

At first I told Ford we'll just do take-out. I realized though that washing the dishes is more difficult when you're full so what the heck, we better just eat at the Chinese restaurant across our building. Ford learned that it will be open until 11pm of that night.

Oops, before I forget, Ford had to go to work that day (December 31 is not a holiday here) and he was only able to go home past 2pm. Then we left the house to meet with Modz, Ford's distant relative, who was stopping by here in Edmonton Red Arrow Bus Terminal (from Calgary) for 1 1/2 hours before proceeding to Fort McMurray. We took him to City Centre Mall to for snacks.

Going back, after Facetiming with my in-laws (Mama, Daddy, and Cil Cil) who live in California, we put on our coats again and walked toward Urban China. It was a very chilly night, -22 if I remember.

We've always wanted to try this restaurant kasi ito ang bumubungad na view sa window namin. Araw-araw naming nasisilayan. As compared to other Chinese restaurants around our area, medyo high end ito ng konti.

There were quite a few Chinese diners. Siguro nga wala lang sa kanila ang new year. Sabagay, may Chinese New Year naman silang sine-celebrate.

To give you an idea of how 'big' our toonie chocolate was, here it is..

We were both starving but then the drawback of having only a party of two is that you cannot order much. Chinese restaurants here are big on servings so be ready for left-overs.

So here's our new year eve's dinner...

Wonton soup 

Special fried rice

Sweet and Sour Pork

Chicken Hot Pot

The food were good albeit quite pricey. Pabayaan na nga, new year naman.

When eating in Chinese restaurants, I always look forward to these fortune cookies. It adds fun to one's dining experience, right?

My fortune was a blah. It read: "Getting away for the weekend will help clear your mind."

It's Ford's fortune that was interesting. I wish I had his! Haha!

He said this fortune was so appropriate. When I asked him why, he answered: "Haler, Ethan Allen!"

Oo nga noh! We'll be moving to our new home by the end of January and we've started buying house things (like an Ethan Allen bed) already. So yun pala ang luxury ni Pod haha!

selfie selfie!

We wanted to watch the fireworks display in the City Hall area but it was so freaking cold. I don't think I can take it.

When we reached our apartment, Pod immediately took a bath, said good night to be, and laid down on bed. It was only 11:15. I hysterically asked him: "What, matutulog ka na??? Hindi pa nga 12 noh!"

He reasoned that he's already tired and sleepy. Hay, I couldn't blame him. He woke up very early to go to work.

I stayed a bit longer in front of the laptop, enviously clicking the celebrations done by family and friends. I couldn't help but wish that I am in the Philippines that very moment. I missed my family, my Nanay's usual media noche handa, the fireworks (we're from Bulacan!), and all the noise and merriment in the Philippines.

My only consolation was that I am already with Ford. I finally gave in to bed at around 11:45pm. Di ko na rin inantay ang midnight. Haha, the irony is that I always sleep at 3-5am everyday but on new year's eve, I slept before 12am. Kakaiba talaga.

Oh well, it's a new year. I guess I should stop being sentimental and start living a real life here. I won't be living in the Philippines anymore and THAT'S A FACT. I have to go forward. I better get used to the "new normal."

I am aspiring to become more positive this new year. I know I can.

Happy new year, everyone! :)

Happy New Year!

Thank you, 2013... Hello, 2014!

Picture courtesy of Bitstrips

We are hoping that more happy things will come this new year!

Isang masaya, masagana, at mapagpalang bagong taon sa ating lahat! 

Our Christmas 2013

We were supposed to stay at The Sutton Place Hotel last Christmas eve but I changed my mind the last minute so I asked Ford to cancel our booking (we've booked it last October pa when I was still in the Philippines and was depressed upon learning that our town house won't be ready yet until early next year). I realized that it will be too much of a hassle to pack just to stay less than 24 hours in a hotel that's just a 5-minute walk from where we're currently living. Saka nanghinayang din akong bigla sa $200.

I guess the idea of staycation is really not for me. My theory is that some people who love to stay and spend on hotels are those whose homes/rooms are not as nice and comfortable as those luxury suites. I have a relatively big and pretty bedroom in Pinas (oh how I miss it!) and I wouldn't trade it for any hotel room in the world. In the first place, nandun na lahat ng kailangan ko. Hindi ko na kailangang mag-pack at ma-stress kasi may nakalimutan akong bitbitin. Familiar na rin ako with everything, like the bathroom, so hindi na ako mangangapa. Kaya plano ko talagang pagandahin ang upcoming bedroom namin ni Ford, para hindi na naming gustuhin pang matulog sa iba lol!

Going back, since we were no longer staying in a hotel room and dining out on Christmas eve, we had to come up with a noche buena. I just recently imigrated and wala pa nga kaming bahay so kaunti lang talaga ang kitchen and dining things namin. I had to make do with the few stuff that we have (almost all of which I bought nang paunti-unti sa Dollarama at Walmart haha!).

I am glad our simple table setting came up nice in picture! Kunwari sosyal hahaha! I made a promise to myself that next year, our Christmas eve dinner will be so bongga na talaga.

We didn't wait for 12midnight anymore. I think we ate at 10pm, we were hungry na kasi.

Here's our main handa:

STEAK. Pod and I are steak lovers. This is a perfect handa kasi easy-to-cook na, sossy pa!

BAKED SALMON. Another favorite of ours.

BUTTERED GARLIC SHRIMP. It was the first time I cooked shrimp in my life and I was happy! Ford doesn't eat shrimp though so ako lang ang umubos niyan.

And for desserts, we had chocolates, Selecta ice cream, and leche flan (that we bought at Panciteria de Manila).

We were so full! I hate wasting food so I insisted that we finish everything. Pero di talaga namin kinaya. In fact, my tummy ached so bad that Pod was the only one who cleaned our after-meal mess! Now isn't that the greatest Christmas gift ever? A very good and understanding husband haha!

We spent the rest of Christmas eve talking to our BFF Raxie (who's based in Kuala Lumpur) via Hangouts. I honestly missed her all the more this Christmas. Palagi kasi kaming magkasama tuwing Christmas season, madalas din kahit sa mismong araw ng Pasko. We've been doing that for more than a decade. This year, hindi siya umuwi sa Pinas because 'I am not there.' Hay! I love you, Friend!

Anyway, we woke up really late that following morning. We dressed up and drove to St. Albert to pick Ate June (Ford's distant cousin and our only family here) so we can do Christmas lunch.

Edmonton is really "Deadmonton" pala on Christmas day. As in parang walang katao-tao and most of the establishments (even malls and restaurants) were closed. Malungkot, really.

We ended up eating at Taipan Cafe, one of the many Chinese restaurants here in the "China town area" of Downtown. Bilib din talaga ako sa mga Tsino, walang holi-holiday basta negosyo!

We were so hungry so lapang na naman kami. Chinese restaurants here in Edmonton are generally good (by our standards) and we wondered why Filipino restaurants can't shape up. Oops, that's for another post na lang.

One souvenir shot of our Christmas lunch. By the way, Kuya Rodel joined us nga pala. He is Ate June's trusted friend and helper (mechanic/driver/errand person/etc). He's here on a work visa and we learned that since Canada has this new policy of limited stay for foreign workers, he's going "home" na in 2015. Tsk, we are hoping though na maayos ang papers niya and maging PR (Permanent Resident) siya.

We drove Ate June and Kuya Rodel back to St. Albert after lunch. Ate June was invited by a choir mate to a Chrismas dinner naman so she bought a cake.

I will forever be grateful to Ate June for being such a good 'insan' and companion to Ford here in Edmonton...

I was so touched when Ate June handed us a gift. Haha, ito lang ang kaisa-isang regalong natanggap ko/namin this Christmas! Except syempre sa gifts ni Santa Ford sa akin.

Again, we have no other family and friends here YET kaya walang gift-giving activities. Someday sana magkaroon, I enjoy wrapping gifts kasi. Plus it's always a joy to give (and receive)!

Too bad wala kaming gift for Ate June. I really wanted to get something for her kaso di ko talaga alam kung ano. Next year na lang talaga, when we are more settled na in our own home para mas organized na ang thoughts ko. I also promised her that we'll be having Christmas meals na at home next year.

Thanks so muchie for the lunch and gifts, Ate June! Highly appreciated talaga!

And because we were so full, we immediately went into sleep upon reaching our humble suite. We woke up at around 8pm and Pod was craving for some pancakes. We knew that the nearby Humpty's was open (nadaaanan kasi namin) so we dressed up (again!) and went there.

Di ako papayag na wala kaming maayos na couple pic this Christmas so mega picture uli. This was the most decent one.

We regret spending our Christmas dinner at Humpty's. Sana sa Denny's na lang. Their food doesn't look nice at all and their store was somewhat untidy. Oh well, lesson learned. No more Humpty's from now on.

If there's any consolation, maganda ang color registration nila sa Iphone ko. Haha, I was able to take my official Christmas 2013 selfie! And thanks to iPiccy, naging flawless ako haha!

Christmas may not be as fun here in Edmonton as in the Philippines and Ford and I may not have done something really really special for the holidays but at least we were together and that's all that matters. It was the very first time we've spent Christmas with each other's physical presence (would you believe) and we were grateful.

Cheers to the many more Christmases we'll be celebrating together!

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The only regret I had was that we weren't able to attend mass on Christmas. Promise, sa new year talaga!

Happy Thanksgiving, USA!

A lot of people I know are oblivious to the fact that Canada and the US are two DIFFERENT countries. Ang akala nila porke magkadikit at English-speaking ang mga tao eh iisa na. Kaloka.

One difference between these two countries is the day they celebrate Thanksgiving. Canadians 'give thanks' on October (second Monday) while Americans commemorate this day every fourth Thursday of November.

According to my husband, who has lived in both countries, Thanksgiving in Canada is not as 'big' as in the US. Sa America, talagang humihinto "busy life" ng lahat kapag Thanksgiving Day. Everyone's into holiday mode, very much looking forward to spending time and good meal/s with family and friends.

Anyway, it is now November 28 and we wish to greet all our family and friends in the US a Happy Happy Thanksgiving Day! 

Picture taken from Hello Kitty's Official Facebook Page

Ford's immediate family (Mom, Dad, and Sis) and majority of their relatives are all based in the US. Almost everyone in my father's side of the family also lives in there. I wish I can also experience Thanksgiving Day in America someday. Si Ford kasi sawa na daw, lol!

With all honesty, hindi ko pa talaga naiinternalize ang value ng holiday na ito. Wala pang kabuluhan sa akin (sa akin lang naman) haha! Wala naman kasing Thanksgiving sa Pinas. Pero malamang mai-instill din siguro sa akin eventually. Wala namang masama kung madagdagan ng isa pa ang holidays na pinahahalagahan ko, right? Mas masaya nga eh.