To be satisfied is to be grateful.

Can't believe my last post was almost 4 months ago! I totally forgot this part of my world existed. It was a crazy couple of months but it definitely felt like heaven was showering us with so much blessings! It is overwhelming when it involves so much time to prepare but when E taught FHE lesson two weeks ago, all of us - mama, mom, E and I are just so full of thanksgiving to Heavenly Father with all He has blessed us with.

Some of the things that had happened during the previous months:

1. Mexico City trip. We celebrated our 4th year anniversary with a short trip to Mexico City. This wasn't even possible if I didn't become addicted to collecting miles. Haha. We didn't pay a penny for our plane tickets, just taxes! I don't think  I will ever go back to paying cash for my plane tickets. ;) Collecting miles is fun, but it's even better when you reap the rewards of free flights. If you wanna know more about travel hacking, start here. I've read countless blogs about it but I think this one is the easiest to understand.

2. Mothers arrive in SF! It's my mom's first time in the US and Emil's mom's last time here was more than 10 years ago. It was such a great timing to also find a place to move to as they arrived so we will have enough room at home. E's mom's petition has been pending for such a long time. It was a taxing process - both financially and mentally to get her here so we are so glad that it has come to an end and she got to see ate and Ethan after almost 13 years. That's a very long time not to see family!
3. We moved upstairs! House hunting in San Francisco is very difficult especially if you have very limited budget but we sure are glad that by the time moms came, the apartment upstairs became vacant and within the price range we set.

4. Got to visit D.C. for E's training and meet with friends.

5. Attended Kuya Osel's wedding in Spokane WA Temple. Mama's reunion with Tita Nina and Tita Cybel after not seeing the former for almost 3 years and the latter for 17 years! Again, not possible if I didn't have miles! :)

After reading previous blog posts, I remembered President Eyring's thoughts on the importance of keeping a journal. I may not have a paper kind of a journal but this little corner of the www will serve as such. I do feel the Lord's hands in my life more when I read the blessings (and even the trials) that we are fortunate to experience. It is a blessing to have what we need and want, and more importantly, to know where these gifts come from. It brings so much satisfaction especially in this world where we see other people's "things" better than ours through the not-so-helpful (sometimes) social media. When we realize that we are blessed, we become grateful; when we become grateful, we become satisfied.

ELDER PAZ

My brother (third child) received his mission call on Valentines Day this year. He is called to serve in the Philippines Urdaneta Mission and will be the first full time missionary in the family since both of my parents are converts and I had a different kind of mission. ha. My sister's (2nd) papers are also on the process and hopefully she will be leaving soon this year as well after she finishes her chem. engr. board exams next month.

My father's side of the family (Paz) hail from the province of Pangasinan which is part of the Urdaneta mission. In fact, when we were younger, we would go the Alaminos, Pangasinan during summer to be with my father's uncle who raised him like his own son. When Elder Paz was little, they actually teased him that he looked like Lolo Istong! I can still remember riding on the back of the carabao as we head to the farm when we were little. Everybody on that side of the family are yet to be members of the church and I think that is one of the reasons why my brother was called in that specific mission. Who knows?! He might meet relatives that we haven't met yet.

3 young men from their ward leaving at the same time for their missions

The bro with the parents

Too bad I already left before the day of his endowment but when I asked him how it was, he said he just absorbed all the blessings that was pronounced to him. I still remember the first time that I went in the temple a day before our wedding in the Laie Hawaii Temple. I was so surprised, because I didn't know what to expect at all, and grateful at the same time for all the blessings the Lord is so ready to give us his children. There are so many things that can't be said here, but all I remember is the peaceful feeling I felt inside the temple and the happiness it brought me when I was inside. My brother said the same thing. He said he wanted to keep feeling that way so he wanted to always be in the temple.

When I left for Hawaii in 2008, Elder Paz was only turning 11 years old and when Emil and I came back this year, it is time for him to go on his mission! Time does fly by so fast! We had a chance to listen to him teach during our family home evening one night and honestly, I was waiting for him to joke around, be shy, or something like that (I know it's bad), but he didn't do any of those things. Instead, he was serious, mature, and I really felt the spirit as he was teaching the lesson. I even thought he would cut the lesson short because he will be shy because Emil and mom (Emil's mom, we call my mom, mama) were there but he took his time to deliver the lesson, ask questions among the family and expound the doctrine he was teaching. I felt so proud of him. I couldn't believe how grown up my brother was and how he has matured in the gospel. It made me more grateful because I know that it is because of the gospel that he has grown up to be a great kid. (Let's be honest here, he will always be a kid bro to me ;)

Elder Paz at the Philippines MTC, April 22, 2016.

I am so excited for all the things that he is about to experience. I know that serving a full time mission will be such a blessing not only to him and our family but to the people that he will encounter for two years and their posterity. I have seen the blessings that missionary work bring to people, but that's for another post.

Christmas 2015

Serramonte Ward Family Home Evening (FHE)

I am writing this as I am feeling the exhaustion on my entire body from last night's event. I was missing the activities done in wards in the Philippines so Emil and I thought that it would be a good idea if we can do it with Filipinos here in SF. I am happy to say that the activity was a success! Though a lot of the members were out of town on vacation, the members in attendance greatly participated so the night was so much fun!

The ward mission was assigned to hold a family home evening (FHE) that may serve as an example to members on how FHEs are to be held at home. Emil and the missionaries, Elder Millora (from Toronto) and Elder Teh (from Pasay/Utah), have been planning this night for a couple of weeks now and I was happy to help them since I love event planning.

Program: Opening Hymn, Opening Prayer, Talent Sharing by Britney, Dylan and friend, lesson by the missionaries, food (the most important part) and games, games, games!

GAME 1: Pinoy Henyo per Auxillary (Singles Adults won!)

GAME 2: Samson, Delilah and the lion (forgot who won.)

Relief Society doing the Samson pose

Elders Quorum

EMIL'S 25TH BIRTHDAY

We've been 'surprising' each other for a long time now but I'm glad I still managed to keep this a secret from Emil until the end of the day. The night before, he was asking me what we will do on his birthday so I was trying to be nonchalant when in fact, in my mind I was already panicking on how I will pull the birthday party surprise the next day! I just told him that we are going to a restaurant in the city that he will love but he can't know until the hour of.

As I was so confused on what to do, the gang (aka the twins, Lowell, Will and Brit) volunteered to sleepover so that they can help me the next day. I was kinda nervous of this idea coz Emil might know what's going on so I texted him pretending to ask his permission if they can come, and he said, yes bec its almost his birthday anyway. We sang for him at midnight and then watched some movies. When it was time for him to go to work, I started cooking for the surprise party which wont start til 5:30pm because that's usually the time he gets off work. He texted me at 3pm saying that he can go home early so imagine my panic when I haven't prepared anything yet! I wasn't even at home because I was buying food for the party! He wanted to meet me where he works so we can go to the restaurant earlier but I told him that I haven't showered yet and the reservation wasn't until 7pm so he should just hang around in the city while he waits for me. I wasn't sure if he is getting suspicious already bec what kind of wife would let her husband hang around in the city alone on his birthday?! but still I had to say it! I was running out of lies! Thankfully our landlord wanted to meet us at 5:30pm so he needed to go home instead of I going to the city. At 4pm, he said he was still at work bec his boss needed to talk to him. Whew! One hour down! I came home to prepare and call people to come earlier because he was coming home early but only Lowell arrived before him so it was only me and Lowell who screamed surprise when he got home. Imagine how lame that was?! hahaha I was too tired to worry about it so I just laughed it off. I thought by this time he knew all along but he said he really believed me that we were going to a restaurant so that part of the surprise worked I guess. We waited with the birthday boy an hour until other people came so we could start the party. Despite the failed surprise, he said he enjoyed his birthday. :)

Giant Kit Kat for the Kit Kat boy

Kit Kat cake

NEW APARTMENT: Our first in San Francisco

So we finally moved to a place of our own. It was so hard looking for apartments here because there is more demand than there are houses but luckily, with the help of a friend, we managed to find this cute in-law close to the Bart so commute wont be so hard. We were so lucky too that our landlords are Filipinos who are very nice. So far, we don't have anything but a bed and a table but I am very excited to fill our house and decorate!

BACK FROM THE GRAVE!

It's been so long (4.5 months!) since I wrote here. I was kind of giving up on blogging until I opened one of the posts and it made me smile to remember all those memories that's why I've decided to keep this. I want to keep smiling as I remember the things we've done throughout the years.

What happened since I last posted:

1. 2nd Year Anniversary was spent in Las Vegas from May 9-12, 2014.

at Gordon Ramsay's BurGR

being tourists at Gondola ride

Bellagio Lobby

POST VALENTINES DAY: Sushi Lunch

After our successful boiling crab night, we decided to have a sushi lunch the day after. We went to Nijiya Market in the morning to get our ingredients then Laren taught Emil how to make some sushi. They made a lot enough for 6-8 people. Ate Sheilla made cucumber salad and I made Miso soup. Yup, straight from the packet. haha. Emil and Laren was so busy so I didn't dare disturb and plus, I was documenting the whole thing. :p

sushi chef Emil

which ones did Laren make and which ones did Emil make?

my plate :)

miso soup I made straight from the packet. hahaha

VALENTINES DAY 2014

This Valentines day, we decided to just stay at home and cook one of our favorites: Boiling Crab! It was a success and (I think) even better because of course, we were able to adjust the recipe to our liking. Master Chef Emil did a great job! Only down side about this is cleaning up after cooking. But overall, it was a great experience to cook and experiment together in the kitchen.

Emil also gave me a fancy bouquet of roses and Ferrero. sosyal. I gave him socks (because he said he needed it) and a tie. haha Now that I am typing this, my gift wasn't romantic at all but just too practical. hahaha.

Side note: This day also marked the day when I wore my first eye glasses!

We cooked two dungeness crab that we got for around $23+ total. We didn't even touch the second one so the price wasn't bad for two meals for two people. 

One was enough for both of us with a bunch of shrimp.

Masterchef Emil about to clean the crab.

Enjoying my delicious dungeness crab with my new glasses 

I didn't even know that I needed one for my right eye (yes only for the right) 

until I went to get my license and failed the vision exam!

SAN FRANCISCO: Twin Peaks

These two hills are the second highest elevation in San Francisco so when you're up here, the view is breath taking. Both day and night views are equally gorgeous. During the day, you can see a great view of the water touching the sky while at night, city lights will impress your eyes, which is one of the things I love about urban life.

view from Twin Peaks during daytime

other side of the ocean is the Oakland area

highlighted street is the Market street

bay bridge on the right

view from Twin Peaks at night

NEW YEAR AT THE AMANTES

Holiday 2013 was Emil and I's first time coming home after we got married so we didn't know how we will divide our time for my side of the family and his. We then decided to spend Christmas with my side since we always have a family reunion then New Year's in Pampanga. Unfortunately, I got sick during new year's eve so I needed to sleep early and just woke up 10 mins. before the countdown so I can join the count then slept again after. haha. The food was great though! Eimerie prepared chicken, Eunice prepared spaghetti which is by the way so good as if it came from Jollibee! Tita Mae marinated the BBQ which is so delicious as well then mom cooked it. It was just such a great feeling to be with family as we start another year of our lives.

Family Fun Hike at Mt. Manabu

Last Dec. 30-31, our family, friends and relatives hiked Mt. Manabu in Batangas. Hiking is definitely my father's no. 1 hobby and because of that, he was able to bring our whole ward up the mountains when I was young and now, even my 78 year old lola joined us! The hike was supposed to be an hour and a half long one way but because we have our lola with us, it took us 3 hours to hike. Despite that, it was definitely fun since our lola set the record to be the oldest in the family to have hiked not one, not two but 3 mountains at an old age! Kudos to her!

When we reached the peak, it was soooo cold and Emil and I weren't even prepared. We just brought clothes because I thought my parents were so used to climbing up the mountains and they will take care of us. I was wrong! haha We we're supposed to bring our own blankets which we didn't have so both of us couldn't sleep that night because of the cold. Imagine San Francisco cold outdoors! Or may be I'm exaggerating but it was too cold even though I have a jacket! My whole body was shivering so I needed to go to the next tent and steal their blankets, with permission. haha. I am now a big fan of fleece. Such a light weight material but keeps you so warm.

After hiking, we wanted to eat at this place called Calda in Lipa, Batangas because my parents said they have cheap but huge (up to 36 in) and delicious pizza. When we got there at 1pm, they told us that they can only serve us at 6pm because they have so many orders. Maybe their pizzas are that good. Last resort was Shakey's.

on the way to the foot of the mountain

kain muna ng Jollibee bago sumabak sa bundok

lola with her tungkod

Station 2: Rest stop

we reached the peak at around 3pm

our tent behind us that I didn't even help set up because I was so tired. 

I didn't move from this spot for about 20mins. haha 

The Parentals

the next morning

picture taking before uwian

at Shakey's