Hi, everybody! Happy New Year! I can’t believe that 2018 is actually here!
I don’t know about you guys, but I always see the start of a new year as an exciting time. I, personally, look forward to filling in loved ones’ birthdays and important dates in a new planner every January. I love the whole idea that we have another 365 days to fill with milestones and memories.
The first few days of a new year is also a great time to look back on the year that’s just passed. And what an amazing one 2017 was for me and my family.
January began with a double dose of happiness on the Cuyugan side – Lola Bandel (aka MrC’s mom, nicknamed Lola Bandel by the kiddo) was home, and the family welcomed brand-new baby Luna.
As for my de Castro family, we got treated to a double dose of happiness in January, too. The first was a surprise visit from one of my favorite cousins, Bolito. He was here for only a few weeks, visiting from Australia, and I love that our home was one of his stops during his trip. Then, we celebrated the 91st birthday of our Tita Glo, the last living sibling of my Loli. She has no kids of her own, and so we all sorta belong to her in a way, my cousins and I.
February is always special because it’s my birth month. My sister-in-law was in town, and there was lots of family time, friend time, and food time. All the things I love! Lol.
One memorable super blooper from March was the day I got locked in our downstairs bathroom. It took about an hour, and my best friend’s dad bringing a locksmith over to get me out.
My father-in-law arrived in Manila at the end of that month, too. He was the last of our Cuyugan Balikbayan series of house guests for the year.
In April, we celebrated Little MrC’s birthday with his cousins at home. I love that we were able to do this! It reminded me of all the fun at-home birthday parties my siblings and I had when we were little. This year, I think we’re gonna take all the kids out to see a movie. There are a lot of nice ones coming up, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that one of them will be showing on this boy’s birthday week.
The boys and I got to go to the beach for a day in May, yay! I think it’s great that Batangas is only a couple of hours away, and we can drive down there whenever we want to. This was a nice end to a long summer, and a great way to celebrate MrC’s birthday.
It was back to school time for the kiddo in June, and MrC moved to a new company. Meanwhile, I got surprised with an unexpected work trip to El Nido. It’s been years since I was there last, and it was nice exploring the newly developed areas in Lio. I had a monster eczema attack, though, so I was really uncomfortable the whole time! Hassle lang.
July and August were nice and quiet, a welcome change from the eventful first half of the year.
And then in September, the husbandry and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. With food. Obviously.
I also ended the month with another surprise trip, this time to Davao. I’m really happy about this because I got to spend time with friends and relatives I hadn’t seen in a long time.
October came, and the family got together to cheer for daddy in his first-ever Historic Mini Racers race. He did as well as could be, for a beginner, but more importantly he had an awesome time. I’m glad we were there to see it.
And then there was Halloween, which is always a fun occasion at my mom’s house.
In November, I got a flat tire for the first time. I didn’t know how to change a tire (I still don’t) and I was lucky that a kind trike driver helped me find a guy to change the tire.
On the upside, I got to start the holidays early with my Mothers Who Brunch friends, too. Plus I won a Severin Mr. Twister Spiralizer at the event. Lucky duck!
December came and all the festivities began. In the middle of it all, on Christmas Eve, our cat of 20 years, Sasha, passed away. It was sad, but I’m also glad that she’s no longer in pain.
We ended the month, and the year with Baby Luna’s first birthday party, and finally with a family dinner to welcome 2018.
Now that I look back on it, I realize just how full my 2017 was. It’s the kind of happy, fulfilling full, though, and not the rushed, busy, hectic type. I’m glad that we chose to spend our time the way we did last year, ups and downs included.
Here’s looking ahead to a spectacular 2018.
