And so the gift wrapping unravels

Reflecting on the year always seems to be such a difficult task. Maybe because my fingers can't keep up with all the thoughts in my head as I try to remember everything that happened throughout the year. Maybe it's just because I've never mastered the skill of condensing all my thoughts into concise written words. Maybe it's because remembering is bittersweet and it just reminds me that another year has passed and I've added more lines on my face and zero inches on my vertical stature. Nevertheless, I will attempt to put it all into words and share it with you - because that's what Christmas is about, right? And I'm all about sharing.



So here goes...



Things I've learned from all our travels this year:

1) San Francisco is ALWAYS cold. Doesn't matter what time of year. Sure it's in California - theoretically, it should be warm. Nope! Plan on packing warm clothes otherwise you end up with miserable, whiny, snot-faced children. I had 4 of them during our trip.


2) Chinatown is the best place to take the kids when they have a $10 daily budget. You can buy a lot of useless doodads in Chinatown for $10! Be prepared for said useless doodads to break by the time you get to your hotel room, though. But hey - you can browse for hours looking at cheap useless doodads.





































3) Never give your children permission to text or call you when you travel internationally without them. Else you end with a significant cell phone bill at the end of the month.

4) Filipinos are everywhere. Case in point: the Grand Cayman island. Any service-oriented job seems to have been filled by a Filipino. It's not surprising then that the world's 7th Billion baby was born in the Philippines.



5) Apparently, the Ritz-Carlton frowns upon bringing your own libations. Seriously! You have to practice stealth when attempting to sneak alcohol into any of their hotel and beaches. Oh, and pouring vodka into water bottles won't work either. Said Filipino service workers are highly efficient and they will dump your vodka-disguised-as-a-water-bottle when they clean your room.



6) There is actually a point when your body says you've consumed too much alcohol and curing a hangover with more alcohol no longer works. Ask John. But this fact did not stop him from trying the aforementioned cure.







7) It takes all of 1 day of being treated like a high-paying guest at the Ritz to feel that you're entitled to it. By the end of the day, I was Posh Spice and deserved to be handed everything. Chartered yachts should be part of my day, dang it! Free massages should be customary - I mean the masseuse gets to touch my awesomeness, that should be gratuity enough, right?












8) Electronic devices are a must when traveling with children. Nooks, iPADs, cell phones, or any other device that keeps opposable thumbs busy if you want whine-free moments. They build hand-to-eye coordination. They make your children seem well-behaved. They allow you to pat yourself on the back because of you've done such a great job of rearing them. See how polite my children are? You only wish your children were that well-behaved! Thank you Steve Jobs for bullying everybody at Apple into understanding that mobile devices should only require thumbs to operate. We are a highly evolved species, after all.




9) The Philippines still has the best islands and beaches. Trust me on this. If you want to go somewhere exotic, consider this piece of information please.


10) Propeller planes are made of tin. You will feel every single movement. Laws of Thermodynamics apply and you will be susceptible to the whole "hot air rises" sensation. And traveling during a Typhoon makes it even more exciting. If you haven't had enough adventure in your life, hop on a propeller plane in the middle of a typhoon. It's guaranteed to make you feel alive.






11) When a guide tells you, "That's an indigenous snake that you probably shouldn't disturb," this is what they really mean: "That's a friggin' poisonous snake so move your as* out of the way!"







12) Children + water sports = FUN. Doesn't matter that the clouds are looming. Doesn't matter that the waves are high and the water's a bit chilly. It's the only time that they can get away with not washing their hands after they pee because they've been swimming in it anyway.


13) 6 year old + Swimming with Fish = PANIC. Doesn't matter that the fish are tiny. "They're fish and I don't know them and mom told me to steer clear of strangers and they're strange fish and they will bite me and then I'm dead." - that's the thought process of a 6 year old and you can't argue against it. Foolproof logic.






14) Children can eat the same meal for 5 straight days and it doesn't get old. Buffet - schmuffet! I want chocolate rice krispies for breakfast, hotdogs for lunch and hotdogs for dinner.




15) Eating a meal with your hands, under a tarp while angry raindrops pound noisily, alongside a community of the down-trodden is quite possibly one of the best meals you'll ever experience. Helping said community with your bare hands is a gift that you will re-open again and again when you're feeling down. It's the present you open when life gets too exhausting and you still have homework, laundry, and real work to do. It's the perfect present to open when you can't wrap your head around your child's illness.




16) Reunions open up old humiliations. Reunions make you vulnerable - you're a 14 year old insecure person again. Reunions remind you what you've been missing all these years and a hug brings it all back in a split-second. Reunions strengthen friendships that you let flounder because you've been busy doing the laundry. Reunions open up your heart.













17) Age definitely matures you. It makes you realize that you can dance like a fool and it won't matter that you did. It makes you accept that all the extra weight you carry means there's just more of you to love. It makes you forgiving and sometimes it even gives you the courage to ask for forgiveness.






18) "When I married Gerlie, I didn't realize I had married a country and it's the best decision I've ever made." is the best love letter my husband has ever written.




WHEW! I wrote a novel, didn't I? Thank you for humoring me and reading this far. So, what else did we do aside from travel?


SOCCER!!!!!! Audrey got upset because Garrett's now in soccer academy. How dare he! She should be the only club soccer player in the family!

All the kids have been taking art classes as evidenced by the pictures below:








Oh, and I've learned that kids learn sarcasm by osmosis. They just suck that attitude right in. I'm raising a bunch of book-reading, art-loving, ball-kicking smart a**es.




John's got an awesome team who make his workdays more rewarding. I've still got the best project, team and bosses - you know you are. Thank you.




The Calagdays and Jeltemas are still blessed with good health.


Life is good.




I know I write for John, Sophie, Audrey and Garrett when I say "Thank you for sharing your lives with us. Have a very happy holiday season!".



Go ahead - unwrap your gifts. I've opened mine already...