Memoir Extraordinaire: celebrations

Showing posts with label celebrations. Show all posts

The Best Birthday Ever: Concordia Children's Services

As you all know, we've celebrated our birthday in an orphanage.
No? You don't! Okay, the details are here and here.
Of course, you also need to know how the plans had started - it's here!

Anyway, Concordia Children's Services (CCS) is located at Old Sta. Mesa, Manila and is home to babies and children left by parents - oh how I wanted to scold those parents! But aside from them, CCS also helps street and urban poor children through their Urban Poor Children Program.

Elementary kids under CCS Urban Poor Children Program were our special guests during our birthday celebration held in this room:

Thank you for allowing us to use the room!

There were games and prizes (of course!) and the kids were so energetic. They didn't even want to eat!
Whenever 'Teacher Ressie' (one of the celebrants who was host of the day but sounded like a teacher) would ask the kids 'Gusto nyo na bang kumain?', they would say, 'Ayaw!, Laro pa!'
So game it is.

The first game was Paper Dance.

The second game is Banana Eating Contest.

The third one is Stop Dance.

And finally, Trip to Jerusalem.

After the fourth game, we decided to eat - because we (the celebrants and friends) were already hungry though the kids weren't!

Also, the kids had prepared a special dance number and a song number for us.
I will upload their presentations in the coming days (blogger won't allow me to do so today).

And of course, there's the gift-giving. Again, thank you so much to all of you who have made this one-of-a-kind birthday possible -> the awesome people behind the event!

Some kids gave their birthday wishes for us. Thank you!

The party ended with a birthday song - the loudest I've heard!

I will upload it, too. Blogger just won't allow me today!

Our Very Special Guests

But wait, there's more!

We also visited the babies of CCS Residencial Care Program.

Now, I'd like you to meet the 3-month old, Mark

and some of his friends

Thank you, Concordia for accommodating us!

---------

You may reach Concordia Children's Services here:

Phone: +63 354 6049
Tele Fax: +63 713 3461
Email: office@concordiachildrens.org

or visit their webpage: http://www.concordiachildrens.org/

MSS Day4: Something Electrifying and Controversial!

My Secret Santa today isn't secret at all. :) Oh well, she keeps on denying it but I know for sure, she's the one.

When I opened my gift, I didn't say anything aside from 'Thank you!' then she was like 'May resibo po yan - 7 days warranty!'

We all teased her and reminded her of the 'Secret Santa' award on our Christmas party. After realizing that she's losing the bid for the award, she explained (on a very defensive manner) that she was just telling me that the item (gift that I have received) has a warranty period of 7 days like every other item of its kind. Good excuse. But she went on to say where she bought it!

There, gotcha!

Okay, enough about the giver, let's talk about the gift.
Can somebody please tell me how did this became ELECTRIFYING and CONTROVERSIAL?

It's a doughnut-shaped (at least the upper portion) mini desk fan. It's really cute and I'm sure, it's way too expensive than the agreed amount of gifts.

So, even though I can't think of ways to explain how did this gift fell into the category/theme, I'm still thankful. And I really wouldn't care about the theme!

Thank you so much, [RESSIE]!

30th Birthday Celebration: Bukas Na!

When I started planning for my 30th birthday, I was thinking of having a masquerade ball with family and friends. I was so excited that I already have a concept and design for the invitation.

But one day, for no reason at all, I decided to change plans!

I asked friends to donate their old books and old toys for my birthday. The original plan was to collect and give them to a chosen institution - that easy. Nothing so special. In my mind, it would be like any other day.

But that was days and days ago.

Today, I can see children dancing, playing and having fun! It's going to be a one-of-a-kind birthday party!

Be there when it happens.
See you tomorrow!

MSS Day 3: What's Sweet 'n Sour But Cannot Be Eaten?

The third edition of our 2013 kris kringle requires the gift to be: Sweet and Sour but CANNOT be eaten! Looking for such a gift needs great imagination. And imagination, indeed!

Here's what I got.
Taadaaa!

For those who want to know what that is, well, it's a stuffed mango-shaped toy. Since it's a 'mango', it can be sweet/sour (depending on the type of mango) and of course, I won't be able to eat this - because it's a toy!

Talk about being creative, imaginative, exceptional!

I got the coolest gift ever!
Whoever that Secret Santa is, thank you so much!

30th Birthday Celebration: 10/21/13 Update

Yes, it's OUR birthday. When She learned of my plans to celebrate my 30th birthday on an orphanage, she got overly excited and expressed her intentions of doing the same. Ressie, on the other hand was convinced by She to join us, too. :)

I will post more updates in the coming days and the pictures of the two other celebrants.

And in case you've missed my birthday wish, it's here: http://extraordinairememoir.blogspot.com/2013/10/an-open-letter-to-all-my-friends-my.html

Good night, everyone!

My Secret Santa Day 2

Look!

This is what I got from my Secret Santa for October 15, 2013. By the way, we exchanged gifts just today, October 17, since we were not able to find a common time yesterday and October 15 was declared as a holiday (I was not in the office*wink*)!

The theme for this gift giving is : Round and Small.

Whoever that Secret Santa is

THANK YOU!

*the original santa picture above is from google images

Weekender: The Gift of Family - Meet the Newest Christian in the House!

The love of family and the admiration of friends is much more important than wealth and privilege.

Charles Kuralt

Zent Ivan sucking his thumb

The Oil

The Water

Ivan was not so happy with the water

Lighting of the Candles

Picture picture! I was behind the camera. :(

Welcome to the Christian World, Zent Ivan!

An Open Letter to All My Friends: My 30th Birthday Wish

(I can befriend you, too if we are not friends yet!) :)
- How do you actually laugh in writing? HARHAR!-

Those who have the most, live longest!

-I'm not sure who said that but I have to strongly agree.

I'll be turning 30 this November and having said that, I had prepared a list of the simple things I wish to receive on my birthday. It's only October but I thought of posting this already so you'll have enough time to prepare. :)

I only have three things on my list and they are very simple. Oh, you don't have to give me all three. You can just choose. But you see, the more the merrier so I will be more than happy to accept all of them.

First and the most important of them all Gift#1: Birthday Book and Toy Drive (or should that be Drives?)
Anyway, if you have old and not-so-old books and/or toys (for children, of course!) you may give/donate them to me (I will give them to this charity/orphanage that I saw while reading other blogs) and yes, I won't ask for any other birthday gift. Promise. But as I said, if you wish to still give me item #2, who am I to refuse.
For this option, please send me an email or comment below so we could discuss how you could send them to me or how I could get them from you.

Gift#2: choose from any of the following
-all expense paid to Paris, London, Rome, New York (just choose one location please)
-all expense paid (by you because you are the gift giver) Caribbean cruise
-okay, this one is the cheapest. Shopping spree in Hong Kong (thank you for sponsoring this one. I so love to do this)
Please let me know immediately if you want to give me this so I could file a leave of absence from my work - I'm a busy frog, you know. Har har.

Gift#3: share this to other friends (Note: I can befriend them-har har) so I could collect more books and toys for my Birthday Book and Toy Drive.

That's it!

Thank you so much for supporting me on my endeavor (naks!) as I step into yet another year of being alive!

P.S. ALL OF YOU MUST GIVE ME A BIRTHDAY GIFT!
Thank you.

P.P.S. That HAR HAR thing is not that cool. I think.

My Secret Santa

Christmas is definitely in the air. I am so excited about it and so are my girls!
In fact, very excited that we started the Kris Kringle earlier. By earlier I mean, this September. :)

To keep the fun and excitement, we will only do it for six days - Sept. 30, Oct. 15, Oct. 30, Nov. 15, Nov. 30 and the ultimate gift would be given on our Christmas party.

Oh, here's the twist: aside from the themed gift, a different Secret Santa will be assigned to each of us on each of the six days.

Are we going to implement the 'No Repeat' rule?
Hmmm. We haven't talked about that.
We'll see. :)

Anyway, here's what I got from my September 30 Secret Santa

The theme: LONG AND SOFT.
It's really long. I just folded it to fit in the frame :). What you see is only 1/4 of the actual length.

Whoever that Secret Santa is,

THANK YOU!

*the original Santa image is from Google Images

Our Wedding in Pictures

We finally got our wedding album last month. Wow! After what felt like forever. :)

Nonetheless, I am happy because I got what I wanted. I have asked the team to change or adjust the layout a couple or more times. I have also asked them to change all the photos! I and Kiboy had personally selected the photos that were included in the final layout. And the same goes for the words/quotes. I wanted to make sure that everything would be personalized. We even included Kiboy's message during the on-site video (check out the Bridal March page).

The resulting album was absolutely worth the wait. :)