2013 was an amazing year. There were a lot of very wonderful things that happened for us. Like every normal family however, not everything came easy, not everything was always picture-perfect but what mattered was that we endured, we learned a lot, we survived and we made so many happy and loving memories in the process.
New Year's in the Philippines is always welcomed with much excitement and enthusiasm with a great uproar of fantastical fireworks displays and terrifying booms and bangs, sometimes clashes and clangs from banging pots, pans, lots of toots and hoots from noisemakers, honking of horns and whatnot. If it makes a noise and it can make it loud, use it and do it!
We also prepare a lot of Spanish influence dishes as we have Media Noche on New Year's Eve. Medianoche is a Filipino tradition of having a special gathering of family and friends for a wonderful feast to welcome the new year.
I may not be able to light up the sky for Zenon and I to watch in awe and amazement, and get close to having asthma attacks from smoke inhalation, I tried to at least give ourselves as much a special night I could though very simple and quiet. Given that we were all a bit unwell from having a cold, too, we really didn't have energy for anything more anyway.
So for the night, I prepared a very simple, very cheap traditional Filipino dish called arroz caldo. It's made with rice, chicken broth flavored with some garlic, salt , pepper and ginger, with chunks of chicken. The ginger was very good for our sore, dry throats.
I arranged 12 different types of round fruits for good luck, proof of the prominent Chines influence in Filipino culture that I had grown up with.
I also put together a few decorations we had to make a beautiful New Year's centerpiece on our dining table.
We watched the shows and waited for the countdown and gave each other hugs and a toast of champagne and sprite for Zenon. Greetings given to everyone, including Sandy, too.
2013 had its ups and downs, it was rough at times but good to us all in all. Zenon has grown up so much in the past year. Most times I wish time would slow down, but watching Zenon learn and slowly turn into a man of how own is an amazing sight and a wonderful experience that I am forever grateful for.
We're definitely up to the challenge to make 2014 as amazing if not better than the year past.
Happy New Year everyone!
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