roll call...

yes, I am still alive.
my bf just mentioned that I haven't written in here for quite some time.
trust me, I've been wanting to, but my time has literally been filled
with things...party planning, cooking, cleaning, working too many damn hours, etc. etc.

Today is perhaps one of the first days of "down time" I've had.
'been cleaning up the house. 'getting it "back to normal" from our
several parties and gatherings over these past few weeks.
It's amazing how quickly and crazily the holiday season creeped up on me!

x-mas at our house
we actually had x-mas here at the house with my bf's parents, my uncle & cousins, and my family.
it was a great time. Uncle and my cousins only stayed for 3 hours
since they had another family party to attend
in the city next to ours.
but we made the most of our time together.

Uncle marinated steak and insisted upon grilling
it on my kalawang-ed bbq grill.
thank goodness we all have updated tetanus shots!
He made my cousin's boyfriend do the bbq-ing since he
is the family expert.
and damn did he grill that steak well!!!

Of course, it took a little while to light the charcoal
being that it was a tad on the cold side and all.
but, alas, my dear old dad was there to our rescue!
with a Californian magazine and lighter in hand,
he proceeded to fill the bottom of my grill
with about 10 wadded up pieces of the magazine
all lit up with fire.
'twas a tad bizarre to see and of course
we all teased and joked about it,
but hey,
he got our charcoal lit and ready for grillin'!

Our yummy steaks went well with the rest of our delicious spread:
- beef caldereta & salmon sinigang (thanks to mama sita seasoning packets, I can call myself a cook!)
- lechon kawali (my uncle's creation)
- green salad with carrots and tomatoes
- a Honey Bake ham (YUM! 'been eating it in sandwiches...will use it to make ham-musubi this week)
- rice (of course)
- Red Ribbon mango cake
- my mom's fruit salad
- baked yams with melted marshmallow topping (a la my friends, S & D...oh this is scrumptous!)
- and tons of beer, soda, and coffee left over from our annual x-mas party

another wedding conversation...argh!!!
After we were all stuffed,
my and my bf's parents proceeded to have the same conversation that
they always have when they see eachother: why me and the bf are not yet married.
UGH!
This conversation at x-mas was particularly interesting as they
began planning..jokingly of course...but literally planning
who to invite, what to wear, who'd cook what.

They keep saying that we don't have to have a grand affair,
so they were planning with very practical heads on their shoulders.
It was quite fun and funny actually,
cause I loved all of it.
I mean, whenever it comes time for us to do the whole shabang,
me and the bf would much rather have something small and actually more
like a typical family party.
We're not really into the whole "formal affair".

If I had my wish, I really wouldn't mind having it in my parent's backyard.
They have this beautiful view of the bay...well, that is once my
dad managed to put enough plant killer to kill our neighbor's humongous bush,
which blocked our view! ;)

but i digress.
I know our parents really just want grandchildren already.
and that's ok.
I just hope they understand how very unorthodoxed/untraditional me and the bf are.
and that is something we value, because our parents have afforded us that luxury.
Instead of putting all of our focus on survival, we are able to look at and experience the world
with the purpose of living out our truths and reaching our potential
without worrying about the limits that "societal norms" create.

It is an extraordinary gift to have that perspective and, truly, if it were not for our parents
teaching us how to take care of ourselves, affording us top notch educations,
and literally providing us with everything we've needed for
our day to day survival growing up,
we would not be in this place.
We would not love and value eachother the way we do, even without that piece of paper that is supposed to
legitimize our togetherness.
Cause we know better.
Cause our vision is greater and more vast than society's definitions.
and because our heart and soul can truly appreciate truth and life
for what it really is.