The Grotto

We decided to spend our Easter on a long journey to visit The Grotto in Portland, Oregon.

We attended the Good Friday liturgy. It was an experience and you would have thought that you were in the Philippines with all the Filipinos from British Columbia that attended that particular mass. It was a standing room for us even if we were a good 20 minutes early entering the church.

I especially loved the lifelike sculpture near the church's gift shop. It was eerie how real it looks despite the glass enclosure.

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HAPPY EASTER

and cheers to new beginnings

Christmas from the He-ART

Kimi's Kindergarten class did a lot of really impressive Christmas Arts which I will surely keep in our Christmas box and use year after year. 

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Thanks SFDS 

for these wonderful work of 

He-ARTs

Kimichua-ism... My Little helper and Holiday preparation

Kimi brought home some handmade cards she made from school. I was surprised, it was nothing abstract and quite nice :) Good Job my Little Artiste

I decided to put some of her little sayings just so I can have this to look back on next time...

We started labeling cards for our gifts this year and decided that Kimi can do the writings on the inside of the cards for her circle of little friends...

When I got the card, I saw the last one with Kenzo's name spelled KENZOE...

Mommy: Kimi, why did you put an E at the end of shoti's name?

Kimi: Remember mommy, you told me that "e" at the end of a word doesn't make a sound, so it doesn't matter...

...Uhmm, ok!

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I call Kimi my little helper... She has been such a helper in the house and when Kenzo gets into his active moments, I tend to throw a lot of commands her way...

coming from school

Mommy: Kimi!!! please take off your clothes and pick up what shoti threw on the floor... and please get the stool out of the way and back in the bathroom....

Kimi: Mommy, I came from school and I am tired. I need to rest. I know I am your helper but helpers do get tired too you know....

TOINK!

Chinese New Year in Canada

It will be the first Chinese New year that will be spent in Canada. I am determined to search for something familiar to celebrate the Chinese New Year. There are a few establishments that recognize the upcoming event. Afew of them are: Kin's Market, TnT Supermarket and surprisingly, Purdys (the Chocolate store...)

Purdys Chinese New Year Display

Purdys: Ingenious twist to the familiar red money envelope

The Familiar tikoy :)
or the Sticky Rice Cake

Gingerbread Man Cookies

Last Sunday, we had lunch at River rock Casino at Richmond to celebrate K's brother, Kendrick and Alanna's arrival.

The Kid's favorite? The Gingerbread Cookies... It doesn't matter that they don't taste that good, they just love the chocolate eyes and buttons decorated on the cookies.

A PLATEFUL OF COOKIES

KIMI IS MORE INTERESTED IN

CAITLYN HEADED GINGERBREAD COOKIE

Candy Bouquet

I missed working with my hands...

So whenever there is any free time that I can enjoy, I try to unwind through doing something by keeping my hands busy to get the stress out of my system :)

My fave chocolates... Ferrero Rocher and some spare cellophane and craft supplies...

VOILA!

CANDY BOUQUET
by: MeL

Getting ready for a Canadian Christmas

We are finally making small steps in decorating our home with Christmas decors. We started with changing the normal night light we use to a Christmas theme night light. It looks so pretty as a small halo of yellow light spread from behind the plastic santa to make it glow and almost float from the wall it is attached to.

Home Alone...

not exactly alone... of course, Kimi is with me so I am not completely alone but since Mom in law started working for half the week I get more chance to be alone in this house with father in law and Kimi.

Today, both of them went for a scheduled hospital visit while K went to work as usual. I started brwosing my laptop for things to backup because it is about to be shipped out for the 2nd time for a checkup. (Sigh* back to the workstation again with a borrowed laptop hehe!). I am in the Christmas mood today so I played "Auld lang syne" from the Sex and the City movie over and over again while I do my work. I am preparing Christmas love package to send home to my family (and friends) in Manila... Oh how i miss them all...

Holidays in Canada

November 11, 2008- A Day Of Remembrance here in Canada. Sort of like the National Heroes Day in the Philippines. I am getting acquainted with holidays in Canada and I can't help finding what it is equal to in Manila Holidays. It seems that they have a holiday in Canada at least once each month. I am not complaining if that would mean having Karl home for an additional day.

Elections in Canada is different in Manila. They still have regular work here, unlike in Manila where they don't have work for the day of the election.

The next holiday I am getting excited about. Christmas. I wonder how they spend Christmas here in Canada. I love all the decorations being available in each stores. They have different decors to offer per store unlike in Manila, wherein they seem to look alike from one store to the next. It's like there is just one or two supplier for the whole Philippines. I love the variety of the decorations, even the supermarkets have great decor selections... Hmmm, time to fish out some budget for the decorations here for our first Christmas...

And for my personal event in our household, Our little baby girl is finally turning 1 on December 4th. Sorry, can't resist adding this last bit :)

Countdown till Christmas

Excited for Christmas.... it's soooo soon
I put out Kimi's Christmas Manger in time for the upcoming Christmas Season

Little People Manger from Uncle Eric

Kimi the Pooh

This is the first year Kimi participated in a Halloween Trick or Treat. I had 2 costumes for her but Karl won and Kimi wore the Pooh costume for this year. It was really more convenient because since we will be carrying Kimi around for the trick or treating the wing for her fairy costume will be unpractical. Kimi looks so cute in her pooh costume. She was really comfortable with the costume since it is not too costume-y which I like since it can still be worn from time to time.

KIMI's DRESS REHEARSAL

KIMI MAKES FUNNY FACES

CHECKING HER OUTFIT

PAPA POOH n BABY POOH ; Below: MOST CREATIVE COSTUME
Kimi had a blast looking at all the kids running excitedly throughout Richmond Mall when trick or treat started. She earned quite a lot of compliments with her pooh costume and she even met a baby tigger trick and treating.

After the trick or treating, we went to Shi-art Chinese Restaurant for dinner.

WHERE's MY HONEY?

WITH GRANDPA @ TIM HORTONS

WITH NANA @ SHI-ART


Richmond Centre
6551 No 3 Road, Richmond

Happy Thanksgiving!

Canadian Thanksgiving 2008

This was my first Thanksgiving and was just wondering why they celebrate it October in Canada while they do it in November in US... So I searched the ever-reliable site to answer my questions... "GOOGLE"

We didn't have any of those turkey dinners which I often saw in the movies but we had noodles with shredded turkey toppings for the occassion... hehe! Maybe we will be celebrating a proper thanksgiving dinner next year :)

Celebrating the Harvest
Source: http://www.kids-fun-and-games.com/canadian-thanksgiving-date.html

Picture: From Crews Nest


The Canadian Thanksgiving date differs from the USA because their Thanksgiving is derived not from the Pilgrims, but the end of a successful harvest. Because of the northerly location of Canada, their harvest season ends earlier than the United States.


The designated date for Canadian Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October. In 2008 this is the 13th October


Thanksgiving was originally observed in Newfoundland, and other parts of the country by new European settlers. Over the years it moved between various dates, sometimes being observed in November and sometimes in October. It was not until the 1950's that the current date was proclaimed as being the official date for Canadian Thanksgiving.


In Canada, Thanksgiving is about family and food, and for many, football, just as it in United States. Some families choose to observe a four day weekend (Friday through until Monday), but the official public holiday in Canada is the Monday, giving most a three day weekend.
Thanksgiving for families is simply about spending time decorating the house, preparing all of the Thanksgiving food (and of course the dinner!) as well as enjoying a long weekend before the onset of Winter.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!