Amazing Race Christmas 2013, Team KoKo: Manila, Bulacan, and Pampanga

When we booked our Manila Christmas trip last year, we couldn't find any cheap flights back to Dumaguete, but there were cheap flights from Manila to Caticlan. So we decided to go to Boracay and travel by land through Iloilo and Bacolod on our way back. After all, it has been more than 3 years since we last visited Boracay. But wait! Christmas stories muna!

Snow Queen

Per usual, the house was a mess. Kelan ba naman hindi messy ang bahay namin? But it was a new low for us kasi nga out part-time helper was out of commission (biglaang naging lola, so lola duties muna sya). Ang gulo-gulo-gulo-gulo ng bahay. I tried to clean a bit for our family Christmas dinner before we left for Manila. The menu I planned -- that one with poached salmon, roast beef, mashed potatoes, buttered vegetables, and chocolate mousse? Sa pangarap na lang natupad. Hahahaha! Well, to be fair, our family Christmas dinner wasn't a total disaster either -- grilled T-bone steak. Happy tummies. I had to wrap a ton of gifts. Actually more than 50 gifts for TheHusband's officemates and friends and for Sharkteeth's classmates, friends, and teachers. Thank goodness Sharkteeth helped me. My gift box, which I fill throughout the year, got emptied of all, and I do mean all, of its contents. It was crazy. So very crazy. 

TheHusband's gifts

Sharkteeth with her gifts

A few days before our flight, I shipped our things to Bulacan para di na namin dala-dala. I separately shipped our beach outfits (skimpy trunks for TheHusband and string bikini for me. JOKE!!!) to Boracay for the same reason. Hay, sa shipping ako medyo naloka. If my Christmas 2012 was marred by Metrodeal, 2013 was ruined a bit by JRS, a bit lang naman. Sabado na di pa nila na-deliver ang shipment ko, eh yung clothes kong pang-attend ng wedding and all the gifts (which were all yet to be wrapped were in that shipment). While I was having my Kagandahan Showcase (hair treatment, facial, eyebrow contouring, etc.) and was supposed to be relaxing, I had to call JRS and followup. Paulit-ulit. Hanggang naubos na ang battery ko. Hay. Anyhoooo, eventually, they were able to deliver the package naman. Pero sobrang na-stress ako dun.

I was able to meet and make chika with Onyxx. It was so dyahe kasi nga wala pa yung gift ko for her. Nasa JRS pa. The following day, we went to Pampanga to meet my college friends-roommates. Again, dyahe na naman kasi nga wala pa yung gifts. Uhhhgggg. I have already made kwento about out meetup in a previous post. Per usual, matinding halakhakan na naman. (Cel, ilang meetups na ba ang na-miss mo? Huling meetup yata na magkakasama tayo lahat is yung sa Tagaytay pa eons ago. Hahahaha!) So there, come Monday, attend naman kami ng kasal. It was my godson's wedding. No, hindi pa ako ganun katanda! Just that I was still very young when I became his ninang sa binyag. His bride was so beautiful and radiant. Eh pogi rin naman yung inaanak ko...nasa lahi talaga namin ang ganda genes. Hahahahahahah! Pasensya na, nangangarap lang ng gising. But I realized two things sa wedding: (1) he loves his bride so much, as in so much, and I'll tell you why after the second point; (2) dance genes totally eluded our family. So why did I say that he loves his bride so much? When the newlyweds were introduced, instead of the usual walk, they danced. He was awful, like cringeworthy awful. But that he danced with his bride, despite the family curse of two left feet, speaks volumes of his unconditional love. Chos!
 
Sobrang hectic ang days leading to Christmas. Friends. Malls. Malls. Saka malls. Hahahaha! I wanted to buy mother a birthday cake from Tous les Jours -- pagdating namin dun sa cake shop, isa na lang ang available. Gosh, muntik nang maubusan. Phew. Di mukhang pang-birthday, but what I choice did I have? Nada! 

Rose Inspiration Fresh Cream Cake

Come Christmas day, I was still wrapping gifts for the kids. I wasn't able to mingle much with my family kasi nga nagbabalot pa ako ng regalo and packing our things (to ship home). :( I feel kinda sad that I wasn't able to enjoy Christmas day fully. Ipinagluto pa naman ako ni pudra ng sinampalukang manok. Saka my aunt brought batchoy. All my favorite dishes! I was able to sample each, but I was hoping to eat again before leaving for Manila. You know naman how we are pagdating sa mga flight-flight. Sablay na, sablay pa. Sino ang salarin? ME! When I checked our flight sked to Boracay, I thought that the departure time was a little past 4 pm. Turned out it was 3:15 pm!!! Kalowka! Super-traffic bago makalabas ng NLEX! We weren't able to TheHusband's family get-together. :( Sam was so looking forward to playing with her cousins. We had to be checked in by 2:15 pm, and by 2 pm, we were still in Guadalupe or Buendia. I thought I was going to have a stroke because of the stress. That we might not make it to the flight didn't stress me as much as the thought that we already sent our things to Boracay ahead of us. We briefly toyed with the idea of not going to Boracay anymore and instead proceeding to Baguio. Sam pointed out that we don't even have one piece of thick clothing with us. Thank goodness we got a great cab driver. We made it to the airport with a few minutes to spare. Sabi nga ng friend ko, photofinish! Sya, next time ko na lang i-kwento ang Boracay trip --medyo nag-PTSD ako when I remember the stress sa byahe.  :)