Only One Thing on My List

A few minutes into 2011, i was asked by C what my new years resolutions were and for a couple of seconds i tried to answer but only in vain.

Before i got too busy with everything that has kept me busy these days, i used to sit in my room days before each new year set in and reflected. This usually produced numerous lists … of things i was thankful for … of things i hoped for … of things i wanted to change … even my list of top 10 songs came up (but lets save that for another time).

I mean if i would have been asked a decade ago what my new years resolutions were, i would have brought out my list and recited it proudly.

That got me thinking…

The day started out busy. No matter how much you prepare there are always things to do and errands to run before an event. A couple of weeks into December, i was thinking out loud trying to plan for new years eve. Hubby told me i should just relax and stop fretting about tiny details…but i love to micro manage and although i know this drives hubby up the wall sometimes, he just lets me be, less i throw a tantrum *snicker*

First order of the day was to get the feature of the new years eve feast

i had discovered this mouth watering dish (an understatement if i may say so) a couple of weeks before the holidays during one of the parties i helped run errands for.

Notice the crack in the crisp golden skin of this little piggy, evidence of how crunchy this lechon’s skin is

The meat is so soft that it literally falls apart

Even the white meat is delectably moist! Delicious!!

The day before, i had told hubby that i wanted noodles on the table for the new years eve feast and because it was a little too late to do research on where we could get good noodles, we kept our fingers crossed and decided to just order from the corner restaurant

We were delightfully surprised at how good these noodles were!

Of course the table wouldn’t be complete without my favorite fresh lumpia

There were also sweets on the table that we totally forgot to document but let me thank A, our lovely clerk from the ER, who provided us with delicious buco pandan and leche flan…and that was how good they were, gone in a flash!

As we waited for midnight, our ever reliable help busied her self to transform piggy into a saucy dish

Lechon Paksiw

The wonderful thing about this dish is that it gets better as it is reheated so we stored a tub full of this as left over for the next couple of days. Almost a week into 2011 hubby was served a bowl of this left over on top of steaming white rice and he was still gushing about how good it was!

After the kids finished the yummy sparkling cider i discovered in one of my grocery trips, i brought out what turned out to be a favorite among the adults

Marks and Spencer’s Mojito Fizz

This sparkling cocktail was really good and the bottle was emptied in a jiffy. I remember seeing a bottle of peach bellini on the shelf where i got this and told myself i should get one for the next occasion.

We got a kick out of the tricks hubby showed us with his camera

and munched on mini tacos and crostinis while we waited for 2011 to arrive

As the noise from the fireworks got louder, and the sky lit up with beautiful displays i couldn’t help but smile contently at how life has been so good to us

and that brings me back to those first few minutes of 2011 when i realized how i’ve gotten so busy that i’ve forgotten to reserve quality time for myself to think and reflect and enjoy all the blessings that has been given to me

So i’ve been taking it easy lately, taking my time to do the things i really enjoy -non work related that is…

and after a bit of reflection, i realized that if there was one phrase that could sum up all the things in my new year’s resolution list, it would be this…

to stay happy =)

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