Merry Christmas!

Baby Jesus has been born! Christmas is here!
I know I'm writing a day late. But Christmas was such a great day for me beginning with Christmas Eve, when my family celebrates. This year was a nice, low-key year with no frills of only my small immediate family, eating good food, and sharing lots of laughter. We ate our traditional Panes de Pavo or Gallina rather (hen) and my mom's Spanish Rice,which has been passed down from my grandmother's recipe. My brother Raf became the life of the party reminiscing about when we were kids and reminding us how far we've come from when we celebrated our first Christmas as a family with my Dad back in 1988! He has the BEST vivid memory ever since childhood. Our family has since grown to include my two little sisters who aren't so little anymore and our angel in heaven, my little brother Gordo. May he continue resting in peace watching over us. On Christmas Day, we went to cut what would have been his 24th Birthday Cake at the Cemetery. He's our Christmas Baby and we will continue cutting him a cake as has been our tradition for every birthday for all of us. After the cemetery, we were off to see Christmas decorations hanged throughout the city and take even more pictures! One of my favorite things to do. We ended the night with a Round Two of eating Christmas leftovers. The BEST! I got exactly what I wanted this Christmas, quality family time which doesn't happen so often for us to all get together in one room like that. I also got to speak to my family in Canada in El Salvador.  Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Before CHRISTMAS, we travelled back to BETHLEHEM A.D., a live re-enactment of Jesus' nativity and the reason we celebrate CHRISTMAS!

Baby Jesus and the Three Kings bearing his gifts

Mary and Baby Jesus

CHRISTMAS DAY

Xiana cutting her Uncle's cake

Niner Pride! Playoff bound!

Group Shot

the SIBLINGS

I paid a visit to my childhood friend and fellow December birthday boy: Roberto.
 I always remember you as my first crush in Elementary School!

Christmas tree in Noe Valley, we paid a visit after learning the story behind this tree on the news. I had spotted it one random night with friends almost three years ago and wanted to pay a visit with my family this time. The tree was planted as a baby pine tree when the owners first purchased the home and it has now grown into a full grown PINE TREE. The decorated house draws large crowds every year. I think it's so beautiful for the homeowners to share their Christmas spirit with everyone in this way!

With my Mami

Sisters

We love our baby sis!

Currently listening to: CHINESE CHRISTMAS CARDS: "Welcome to Life" from Barcelona, Spain!

2012 Resolutions...

2011 is ending soon. We are 1 day away from Christmas Eve and it's time to start thinking of the year ahead. New Year's means new opportunities, new life, and time for Resolutions. I have never been the biggest fan of doing New Year's Resolutions, mostly because I think everything is a work in progress no matter what time of the year it is, but also because I never can keep track of them. I'm not very good at following through. Well I  am trying something differently this coming year. At my age, I have come to terms that some things will need to change in my life in order to feel more like an ADULT and also be more contempt as well as challenged on a daily basis. The other day someone told me I didn't look my age, they thought I was 18 years young, which I am not complaining about. I have my family's genes to thank for that. I may be a kid at heart and a very giving person at that but inside the truth is I am not a pre-pubescent Teen. I am set to make these changes starting with what makes me happy and keeps me going every morning. Cheers to 2012 everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =)

These are my 2012 Resolutions.

1. Run a Marathon!


2. Learn FRENCH

3. Join a Dance Group and live out one of my PASSIONS on stage.

4.Take a cooking class. As much as I love FOOD, I'm not the best at making it. Need to make better use of my hands.


5. Grad School (i.e.) Career Change

6. TRAVEL is always a must on my list! First place I want to visit: back to my beautiful homeland: EL SALVADOR.

7. Make my very own Pie & Souffle.


8. Finally get my DL

9. Take a pilot class, I want to Fly!

10. Go to the Great Outdoors, it's long overdue: Rock Climb/Hang Glide/Zip Line/Camp!


11. Go Fishing!


12. And finally Love and be loved. (A puppy will do ;-) )

On Repeat

Currently on repeat: Bon Iver's "Stacks"
Enjoy!

As the weather outside is a lovely 63 degrees. It sure is not feeling like winter in the city!

xoxo

It's December!

 

It's 

DECEMBER!

Happy 1st of December

to you all, 

only 24 days until CHRISTMAS!!!!

Time for Christmas caroling, 

the smell of pine trees, Christmas lights, Santa and his reindeer,
fake snow, earmuffs, hot cocoa, Ice Skating, Cuddle Buddy's

and for Baby Jesus to be born!

Let the Holiday Cheer begin!

Ho Ho

Ho!

Something about this time of the year that makes me anxious and gets me excited. It might be the anticipation of a New Year or the warm, cozy feelings that Christmas brings of sitting by a fireplace and spending time with those you love. I don't know what it is but its meant to be a jolly good old time. I don't have a lot planned for the holidays, just staying put at home with my family. Instead I wish I could be part of Art Basel in Miami going on this week, the most prestigious and biggest art show of the Americas with over 2,000 artist participating. I also would like to spend Christmas somewhere tropical for a change. I've always had a dream of spending my birthday or Christmas in Australia or Hawaii, since at least in Australia when it is their summer it's our winter. Santa Claus on a Surf board? I'm down! Will have to plan for that for next year.

And just a friendly reminder no matter what always be:

Here is a glimpse I found from VernissageTV of some of the exhibitions happening right now at Miami Art Basel. The video includes some of my favorite artists like Takashi Murakami, the large Panda-like Bear towards the end of the video. Also one of my favorite photographers, Andreas Gursky is there, whose "Rhein II" is the world's most expensive photograph which sold for $4.3 million recently at an auction. Wowzahs! Take a look for yourself.