Welcome 2024... Thank you 2023!

Here is another year to end... 

Looking back at the past 12 months of 2023, I am both grateful and pessimistic. But in spite of all my struggles in life,  I feel I am still blessed and still have a lot to be thankful for. Sabi nga nila... laban lang!

 My Lorenzo

Chuy turned 19 in March. He graduated in Senior Highschool in July and now taking Hospitality Management program at STI College Calamba. He continues to grow BIG and I am starting to get worried about this. But I am giving him the chance to adjust to college life while still enjoying gaming and being young. He continues to cook and explore on food, that he even joined the STI's Tagisan ng Talino's Chef Xpress. It was a great experience for him for a start and I am just a proud Mom!

My Luigi

Luigi turned 30 in September.. yes and still single, but taken! I can only wish for wedding bells and happy married life in the future. My eldest deserve God's wonderful blessings because he is an obedient son, patient brother, caring apo and faithful partner. Ingat parati when you drive.

My Family

In November, my Mom and I flew to Dubai to visit my brother Louie and SIL Hayk. I had a grandiose 2-week vacation away from work!  We had Dhow Cruise and dinner, Desert Safari and Arabian Nights experience. We climbed the tallest building Burj Khalifa and had a day at the Miracle Garden full of blooms. We drove to Abu Dhabi to see the Grand Mosque and the Qasr Al Watan Palace for 2 days. And probably strolled around almost all of the big malls in Dubai. I also met my classmates Alex and Nerie, and had day of catching up. The best part is I get to travel again and be with my sibling... and missed the boys for 14 days.

I needed this vacation after all my stress for the past 4 years, I believe I deserve this one!

Our mother turned 85 this year! Her memory is very good, she still dances weekly, pray 100x a day, cooks and bakes a lot... except for an aching knee, everything is OK with her.

Me and my Life now...

I know I have to take it easy... I am 55 and starts to feels old. I was confined in June for blood transfusion and up until now, I am on medication for iron deficiency-anemia. I am still in peri-menopausal dilemma at 55.

I am still working as a Teacher and a Program Head. As much as I wanted to work, I still want to learn more and help those aspiring teachers to be of service to the young minds. I had my 3rd Program Head training in December, where I get to meet new friends and felt empowered.

But at the same time, I want to keep that work-life balance. I still scrapbook, find time to meet old friends like my high school barkada and batchmates, eat out with my boys, clean my house and sleep. I think I am pretty much complete, even without a husband.

I want to enjoy and capture life, go back to traveling and never regret anything!

To wrap up 2023... life is still a struggle, but is still joyous and happy! As Covid19 seats back in a corner, we have to still take care of ourselves and our health. There were a lot of changes after that era of pandemic, but let us adopt to it for better life. 

Life must go on, let us just keep it simple but happy and fulfilling. Let us continue to pray for hope, strength and guidance. God bless us all!

WELCOME 2024!

Better than Bear Hugs!

 As I enjoy my Christmas vacation... 

I got to do a lot of things in the house specially in my scraproom. I'm on my Day 9 out of the office, but not really out of my responsibilities, but just physically out of the limbo! I got to SCRAP again and mess around in my favorite room. These layouts I want to share were done months ago, but will be posting now. Here goes...

                                                                                                                          

Better than Bear Hugs... are layouts where I used scraps of strips. Obviously, Luigi and Chuy's hugs are better than this huge bear's hug and just loving it. I used here Bazzill cardstocks, assorted pps strips, assorted washi tapes, DMC threads, paper flowers, silk leaves, buttons, Maya Road embelishment and Ranger inks. 

Why don't you use your scraps and start playing!

Thanks for looking.