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Yes, Simbang Gabi or mass at dawn in the Philippines started today, December 16, 2011.

Click here to more about Simbang Gabi.

Did you go!?

What I love about going to masses at dawn is that you can actually feel the Christmas breeze. This signifies the start of the Christmas season.

So yes, the Christmas holidays has officially started in Manila! (*wink*)

December is now the wedding month. In Manila, that is! My guess is that probably because most of the relatives from abroad usually come home in December.

Our wedding was in January. That is because I wanted to enjoy the holidays so we scheduled it last weekend of January. I remember those days when we were still preparing for our wedding. Of course Hubby proposed first. He checked all the gorgeous engagement rings until finally found the right one and proposed last February 14. After we’ve set the wedding date, we looked for a venue which was hard.

When I saw Fernbrook a couple of months ago, I wished they built this 7 years ago!

The place was so nice. Although there are parts of the venue which are a little hot and my relatives didn’t like it, but I think this can be arranged.

So to all couples who are getting married this month, congratulations and have fun!

Or should I say the kids had the best 3 trick or treats this year!

First was at the village where they attended a party first and then off they went trick or treating.

Second was at my sister’s office where they got a loooot of candies.

Third was at a Halloween party with our friends.

Check out their candies!

Yes and they’ve been eating these treats for 1 week now!

It’s been more than a month now since my Mom left for the States.

I miss her. And now that Mother’s day is just a few weeks from now, I’m thinking of ordering flowers for her. I got this idea from Proflowers coupons. These are coupons that I can use to buy flowers online. By using these coupons, my purchases will be discounted.

Several coupons include: 15% discount of the entire purchase, saving 20% off on orders of $39.99 or more, a free vase, there is also a free delivery for weekdays! I love this site and I’m sure I will use this for purchasing flowers for my Mom for Mother’s Day. It is the only that we can give thanks to our Moms who made a lot of sacrifices for us. So, let’s all buy something for them, I’m sure they will appreciate it. (*grin*)

Today is a very important day for Catholics. It marks the beginning to the another season which is Lent. If you’re curious about Ash Wednesday, here’s a nice read that I got online that I would like to share…

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. It is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we attain redemption.

Why we receive the ashes

Following the example of the Ninevites, who did penance in sackcloth and ashes, our foreheads are marked with ashes to humble our hearts and reminds us that life passes away on Earth. We remember this when we are told:

“Remember, Man is dust, and unto dust you shall return.”

Ashes are a symbol of penance made sacramental by the blessing of the Church, and they help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice.

The distribution of ashes comes from a ceremony of ages past. Christians who had committed grave faults performed public penance. On Ash Wednesday, the Bishop blessed the hair shirts which they were to wear during the forty days of penance, and sprinkled over them ashes made from the palms from the previous year. Then, while the faithful recited the Seven Penitential Psalms, the penitents were turned out of the church because of their sins– just as Adam, the first man, was turned out of Paradise because of his disobedience. The penitents did not enter the church again until Maundy Thursday after having won reconciliation by the toil of forty days’ penance and sacramental absolution. Later, all Christians, whether public or secret penitents, came to receive ashes out of devotion. In earlier times, the distribution of ashes was followed by a penitential procession.

The Ashes

The ashes are made from the blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year. The ashes are christened with Holy Water and are scented by exposure to incense. While the ashes symbolize penance and contrition, they are also a reminder that God is gracious and merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts. His Divine mercy is of utmost importance during the
season of Lent, and the Church calls on us to seek that mercy during the entire Lenten season with reflection, prayer and penance.

It is a traditional doctrine of Christian spirituality that a constituent part of repentance, of turning away from sin and back to God,
includes some form of penance, without which the Christian is unlikely to remain on the narrow path and be saved (Jer. 18:11, 25:5; Ez. 18:30, 33:11-15; Joel 2:12; Mt. 3:2; Mt. 4:17; Acts 2:38). Christ Himself said that His disciples would fast once He had departed (Lk. 5:35). The general law of penance, therefore, is part of the law of God for man.

The Church for her part has specified certain forms of penance, both to ensure that the Catholic will do something, as required by divine law, while making it easy for Catholics to fulfill the obligation. Thus, the 1983 Code of Canon Law specifies the obligations of Latin Rite Catholics [Eastern Rite Catholics have their own penitential practices as specified by the Code of Canons for the
Eastern Churches].

(more…)

The simbang gabi or Mass at Dawn started in the Philippines today. It is a very popular tradition in the country. Simbang Gabi or Mass at Dawn is a nine-day novena to the Blessed Mother. The novena begins December 16 (which is today). It usually starts as early as 4 in the morning and culminates with the “Misa de Gallo” on Christmas Eve to welcome the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. In some churches, the panuluyan is reenacted showing the effort of Joseph and Mary to find a suitable birthplace.

I used to attend this mass and would love to do it again sometime. How about you? We’re you able to attend the simbang gabi today?

and it’s going to be Mother’s Day! I realized that time flies so fast lately that I think I would need to find gift ideas for mother’s day. The thing is, I would always cram in getting gifts for my MIL that I ended up giving her a CAKE! She loves the cake but I just find it too boring and predictable. My Mom is already in the States so I think I can give her something I bought online. I’m sure there are so many options to choose from! Flowers right at her doorstep would be nice. I’m definitely sure that she will be surprised to know that we were the ones who sent her. Imagine, we were miles away from her and we still haven’t forgotten her day. It would be nice to send for her birthday too. But of course, variety would be nice. She would be happy to receive different gifts for every occassion so I better start thinking of what to give her NOW!

A day or two before the 24th, Hubby got sick. Then I followed. We were down with a flu. After half a day, the kids were down with fever and cough too. We had very tough nights monitoring the kids’ temperature and making sure they get allergy relief. The weather sucks really. It is cold at night but during the day it gets very hot.

So there goes our Noche Buena. We were supposed to have our own Noche Buena for the first time in our house. But since everyone is down with a flu, we opted to sleep after having Christmas dinner at the in laws. Well, at least we were able to open some gifts from them before we went home. And then the kids opened more gifts in the Christmas morning. Santa Clause was still able to come too. (*wink*)

I was planning on serving hot chocolate, bread and ham, fruitcake, grapes, and pasta but oh well, we didn’t have energy anymore since we will still go out for our Christmas lunch with the in laws again.

At least the Hubby and the kids are well now. I am a bit well too but still having headaches every now and then and still wouldn’t want to eat home cooked meals. I’m craving for burgers and chips these days that I’m sick. And this is not really helping!

Happy Halloween!

We, as a family had FIVE Halloween parties since the 24th of October this year. Our little girls had so much fun trick or treating! This is so far our most number of trick or treats. We had so many buckets of candies now. I don’t know what to do with it actually. If we eat it ourselves, I’m pretty sure we will be needing natural fat burner since sweets are the major reasons of weight gain.

Here is the list of Halloween parties that we went to this year.

1. Village Clubhouse
2. School Halloween Party
3. My sister’s Office Halloween Party
4. Halloween Party at friends’ house
5. Trick or Treating at The Podium

So far, the most fun party we went to was the school halloween party where there was a circus act show. The most number of candies we got was from my sister’s office and the most fun party was at our friends’ where the food was good and the company was even better!

* For Credits of the Layout, click here.

I’m sure restaurants and hotels will be packed to celebrate this special day. I hope you made your reservations!

As for us, probably a lunch out or a dinner out, a treat by Hubby of course! (*grin*)

Should I expect a gift on this special day? A diamond heart jewelry, perhaps? A spa treatment to relax and unwind? Naaaah. I don’t think so!

So what are your plans for your mothers this weekend?

Have fun!