Turkey in the 'ber' months

Before I get started... I cut her hair today. Isn't it cute?

And would you just look at this cheesy smile? 

 

This was after she asked me if she could take pictures with my "mamrya." I told her yes, but only after I get a few shots of her new hair cut. And on a side side note, she called our mini trampoline the jumpaline today. Clever, no?

I bought a 19 pound turkey yesterday and I'm excited to cook it up on Saturday to celebrate American Thanksgiving. Celebrating on Thursday after Andrey works in the office all day makes it feel a lot less like Thanksgiving so we've done it on a Saturday since we've been living in Asia. I LOVE Thanksgiving and I love cooking for it every year, usually. Last year was the last time I can remember when I had no desire to cook for and host a big meal but that's because my daughter and I were still one organism at that point and I could barely use the toilet much less cook anything. About a month ago I realized that I am really in the mood to do it up again this year. It's a new day though because I'm not about to try and do everything myself like I've done in the past nor do I feel the need to do (control) everything only to stress myself out and end up exhausted by the end. Thankfully several friends have offered to help and I have happily taken them up on it.

Having a child has certainly changed things. I better know my limitations and frankly since becoming a mom I've had to work on my control issues. I recall some of the best parenting advice I read about parenting toddlers, "Don't let your toddler control you and don't try to control your toddler." I think I read it in an Ellyn Satter book. I have learned to chill out about a lot of things that used to stress me out. I still have a long way to go but I'm thankful for what I've learned and how I've grown since becoming a mom just over a year ago.

Do you find that you are way more into the holidays as you get older or does it come with having kids? I'm not sure what it is but I'm so excited about Christmas this year! We just put up our Christmas decorations a few nights ago. What? You might be saying. Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving? Let me explain. 

Christmas is HUGE in the Philippines. Like massive. Seriously such a huge deal. 

1) It's a Catholic country so Christmas and Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter) are understandably big here. 

2) Filipinos are a passionate people. This is demonstrated in how they celebrate Christmas. And for how long. Why wait until December? In this country, Christmas begins in September. Yes, September. Why, you may ask? Because Christmas starts in the 'ber' months. September. October. November, etc... You know, Berrrrr!, like what you say when you're cold. Does it get cold here? No. I have no explanation beyond that. 

3) Christmas Eve night at midnight sounds like a war zone. There are more fireworks going on (and going on and going on for hours after) than I have ever heard. Most Filipinos celebrate Noche Buena and have a huge Christmas meal at midnight the night before Christmas and then light up the neighborhood with unregulated fireworks. Hospital emergency rooms are crazy busy. And then everyone sleeps in really late on Christmas morning. 

I could go on about what makes Christmas so huge around here but suffice it to say that putting up decorations in mid-November is already very late.

Come to think of it, my enjoyment of the Christmas season has grown over the past few years. I think when I lived in the US it just stressed me out. And my years in retail and restaurants just about did me in with Christmas music. I couldn't stand most Christmas music (especially the commercial stuff) for the first few years of my marriage to Andrey. Now, even he remarks at how different I am because I just made a new Christmas playlist and it isn't even December yet. I have come to this conclusion. Christmas is really fun in the Philippines! Living here has revived my love for it. I am thankful for this because it is such a special holiday if you can just slow down enough to enjoy it (something I admit is much easier to do in a developing country), ponder it, savor it, celebrate it for what it is at it's core. A time to prepare for and celebrate the coming of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. A time to bake stuff with cinnamon and nutmeg and apples and oh there are so many things on my list I want to bake! 

So for me, Thanksgiving is the kick off to a wonderful holiday season in a place I am very thankful to live - with my daughter in her country of birth, my extremely kind and patient husband and a very special community of friends. I think Ella agrees.

Happy Thanksgiving (belated to the Canadians) and Merry Christmas everybody! 

Ella's First Tobogganing Experience

Family Photos

The day after we arrived in Canada we had some family photos taken. Our dear friend and fellow blogger Louise generously offered to do a photo shoot for us while we were in town. She and her husband Gary have a photography business called GC Photography in the Langley area and they do great work both out and in their home studio. We only had about 30 minutes for the shoot. Louise got some great shots in a short amount of time. Thanks again, Louise! We love our photos and especially loved every minute of our time together!

My favorite

After the shoot we got to spend time with these three families for a mini-nerd fest. It was so good being with them. Louise and Gary are on the right.

Ella's Intro to Canada

Sorry for falling off the blogosphere while we were away. For some reason when I take a long break from blogging I find it extra difficult to get going again - just like exercise. Maybe if I get a post up I'll suddenly feel like exercising... or get going on all the other things I'm behind on. We've already been home a week and we are sleeping normal hours again. Here's to getting things flowing again.

Our trip west was fantastic. Ella did impressively well (again) on the long flights both ways. The short 1-2 hour flights within Canada felt like our routine trips to the grocery store. We are to the point now where flights any less than 5 hours seem super short and easy. The 9 to 11 hour flights between Seoul and the west coast of North America are long but manageable, but the 12 and 14 hour flights between Seoul and the east coast of North America like we do each Spring are what feel very long to us. It's only 4-5 hours from Cebu to Seoul. Only two flights to get all the way to Vancouver? That is a great thing. We love being able to fly out of Cebu and avoid Manila all together. Thank God for Korean Airlines giving the best prices. By the way, Ella loves flying so much that when we reach our destination she asks to go back to the airport so she can go on another airplane.

Being in Canada was such a treat. The trip as a whole was very full, a little tiring, but very fun. I mean, who doesn't love getting to see close friends and family whom you miss dearly and getting to socialize socialize socialize? Well, my extreme extrovert of a husband loves every minute of it but I'm quite happy to have a little down time in between. I am certainly more of an extrovert than an introvert but much closer to the middle of the spectrum than my husband. A three week trip was just enough to keep me engaging in as much as I could because of the novelty of it all but just about tapped me out by the end. Ella did amazing with the crazy travel routine (or lack there of) but we could see that the late bedtimes, the opportunistic/only-as-convenient car napping, the plethora of unfamiliar food, and the steady abundance of new faces began to wear on her by the last week. We both came home with colds. The fact that we kept it up as long as we did without any serious melt downs or an essential need to get her in bed by 8pm is just evidence of how easy-going this girl is. We just kept saying, well as long as Ella is handling it okay, we'll keep doing what we're doing. And she did. She is so amazing! We didn't expect this much out of her and she surprised us. Again.

We are so thankful we got to make this trip. It sort of makes up for missing our furlough to Canada last year around this time. I remember we booked our flights and then a week later got that call that we had a daughter. The trip was missed for the best reason possible. Now a year later, getting to bring our girl to meet so many people we love and cherish and who have prayed with/for us for so many years for a child was a privilege and a real gift. We are so glad she enjoyed it as much as we did.

Our time was spent in/near British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. I say near because the first week we actually stayed in the US, a few minutes south of the Canadian border in Andrey's parents' timeshare. It was ideal to be an hour and a half away from Seattle where we used to live and 20 minutes from our friends in BC, where Andrey once lived and went to university. We both love that part of the continent so much.

To recap, I'll just share some of our highlights and then end with some of our favorite photos. Unfortunately the hubby is out of town so I'll have to share his highlights from the trip later. 

Jen's highlights:

• Quality time with close friends. You know the kind of friends that you can just pick up where you left off even though you haven't seen each other in years (keeping in touch over skype, blogs and facebook help)? Friends you know well and who know you well and have history with? Friends you can be totally relaxed with and just be yourself? Friends who traveled quite a ways to see us and who hosted big gatherings in their homes and cooked delicious meals for us. Friends like these are a gift we don't take for granted.

• Reconnecting with family. We have many family members that are our good friends and would be even better friends if we lived closer.  Such fantastic people. They are family who cleared busy personal schedules to spend time with us, cook for us, host us - and did it again and again during our stay. Thank you dear family! We are so privileged to be related to you all!

• Staying in the same place and traveling with my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and niece, who came all the way from Nova Scotia to hang out. Huge highlight!

• Having grandparents around. I realized for the first time that Ella has not only become comfortable with Grandma and Grandpa but has clearly bonded with them. Ella ran off with Grandma to the park within an hour of our reunion. I watched Ella lean into Grandpa and cuddle with him and reach for him or Grandma to be carried on the first days of this visit and throughout our time together. Aside from the practical benefits of this, it brought me much joy to see how Michella has risked to love and be loved by more than just her Mommy and Daddy. Did I mention she's amazing?

• Seeing Ella and her 2-year-old cousin Annika build on their friendship (they only first met in person eight months ago); watching them play and have fun together; hearing Annika ask repeatedly, "Where Ella go?" as soon as she was out of sight. 

• A playground in every neighborhood and open space to walk and enjoy nature, for FREE.

• Meeting at the waterslide hotel in Regina with friends from Winnipeg who drove 6 hours each way with three kids to hang out for two nights. We drove 2.5 hours with 1 kid. You guys rock! That waterslide time was EPIC!

• The fall weather (or at least until it snowed and felt more like winter to me). The yellow/orange/red leaves. The trees. The cool, crisp, clean air.  LOVED IT!

Ella's highlights:

• Seeing snow for the first time
• Daily trips to the playground 
• Having Daddy around all the time
• Having Grandpa and Grandma around
• Staying in the same place as Annika, getting to travel with Annika, playing with Annika, dressing up for Halloween with Annika, bath time with Annika... 
• Being read to by Uncle Mike
• Visiting the Firehall
• Tucker the cat
• Pete the dog
• Gunner the horse
• Baby Amarys
• Baby Isaac
• All the toys at Addie's house
• Froggy costume (not just worn on Halloween)
• Waterslide 
• Halloween candy

Now for a slew of photos. I didn't even come close to getting (including) photos of all the people we saw. These are just a few...

Good times at Addie and Bennett's house. (Ella's fake smile has emerged.)

 

The coolest playground we ever did see is in Lynden, Washington.

Me & my girl

Mel and baby Amarys

Sam, Torie and Addie

 

Ella and Emily

 

baby Isaac at only 6 weeks old

 

My girls! Missin' you something fierce!

Ella's swing time endurance tripled while in Canada

 

Grandpa with his grandgirls

 

Yay for reunited cousins! They were so happy to see each other.

Firehall visit

 

There were lots of cuddle times with Grandpa

And some fun reading times with Auntie Lise (and the sheep costume that was too small)

 

Playing with the Autumn leaves

 

Post-trick-or-treating

 

Enjoying the playground across the street from Auntie Kit and Uncle Al's house

 

Chief Whitecap Park

 

South Saskatchewan River at Chief Whitecap Park (Me, Ella and Pete the dog)

With Uncle Al and Pete

 

Ella LOVED her time riding Gunner

 

 

 

Ella's climbing skills flourished

 

And then there was real snow... (Credit to Uncle Al for this photo)

... and snow angels

Then froggy had to say goodbye to her good buddy at the airport :-(

And we went for another walk at Whitecap before it was our turn

I couldn't help but include a few more. Here are some great shots from Mom S...

 

With Grandma Gigi