The Holidays, 2016 in Review and 2017 Goals in One

Happy 2017 everyone!

I've been meaning to post something before the New Year but my schedule did not allow me to do so. I do not know what happened last holiday season but despite the fact that our school break came three days earlier, my schedule was more hectic than usual.   I actually was able to put up our tree ten days before Christmas whereas I usually make sure  it is up on the first of December.

I brought home around 180 exam papers to check and I still have ten unchecked papers.  I still have five gifts yet to wrap!  Please don't judge me now.  I know I am bad and I feel bad enough!

I am proud of the simple feast I laid out in front of my family though.

Noche Buena feast menu:

puttanesca
buttered garlic prawns with chili
macaroni salad
ham
leche flan (Mom cooked this) and buko salad for dessert

Media Noche or New Year's Eve was spent with Ruel's family in Bulacan so I didn't have to cook.  I still made it a point to prepare something though because I was not used to not having anything special to eat after the festivities. :)   We had a family get together on my mother's side the following day.

Overall, I enjoyed every bit of the holidays, although everything flew by like a breeze.  I am thankful to 2016 for many things like family gatherings, dates with my husband, the best Mother's Day celebration I've had so far, going on a pilgrimage to churches with holy doors, my son's moving up from junior high, finally getting to watch Les Miserables, celebrating Sofia's first birthday, attending our high school jubilee homecoming, finding a new friend who is so much like me, celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary in Tagaytay, passing the licensure exam to become a financial advisor, getting a chance to write and direct a mini-play, receiving so many prizes during the institutional Christmas party,  celebrating Christmas and New Year with all the people I love best and so many others.

As I enter this new year, my heart is filled with gratitude,  HOPE and FAITH.  I hope, pray and believe that this year will be one of the best years I have ever had.

Happy 2017 dear readers and friends.  Here's to an awesome year -- a year full of hope, love, priceless moments, and wonderful surprises!  May God keep us all safe, bless  us with good health and grant us prosperity.  Cheers!