Kailan ang bertdey mo? (When's your birthday?)

Well, I did it - I turned 40 and the world is still spinning - go figure. After realizing I wasn't going to have the raging 80's party in CA I had high hopes of, decided on spending the day on a white sandy beach with the family, but to quote Adam "the Universe has a wicked sense of humor...plan F just fell through".

We only had 3 out of 4 passports & visas, so we couldn't leave Manila; didn't feel comfortable leaving the little ones, so overnight trip to fancy hotel in city cancelled; two typhoons; civil unrest during barangay elections shut down the city for 2 days (guns and alcohol banned as well, didn't mind the gun ban so much as the no alcohol); 3rd world surgery for Adam, all topped with the logistics of moving the family abroad and leaving our oldest daughter behind in the states....decided to take a hint and stay local...looking forward to celebrating with all of you when I see you again soon!!!

However all that aside, it was a pretty fun birthday week - the kids and I made Halloween cookies with some new friends, went on a school field trip with Sophia to the city to see the play Sleeping Beauty at the Repertory Philippines Children's Theater, ate and drank our way through Makati - tapas and sangria at Tapellas, champagne  flutes at Lusso champagne bar, and the most amazing dinner at Masseto - each course paired with a different wine (still think California wines are the best, but I'm partial). Did lots of window shopping at all the cool stores - Prada, Luis Vuitton, Hermes, Christian Louboutin, Burberry and scored a new Kate Spade clutch. I've only seen that kind of swag in magazines, so it was fun to check it out in person. We were seriously under dressed (jeans & flip flops) compared to the real shoppers :) Too bad Club Muwah! (www.clubmwah.com) was closed on Tuesday - I must go back for a fabulous, sparkly, glittery good time!

Today was United Nation's Day at Sophia's school. It was hilarious asking her:
"what country are you from?"
"PETALUMA!"
"No, that's your town, what country are you from?"
"CALIFORNIA!"
"sigh...no, sweetie that's your state, you're from the United States of America"
"oh! UNITED NATIONS!"

All the kids in the school were asked to dress in their native costume, Sophia borrowed items from other US expat kids for her red, white & blue outfit. The school held a carnival with PTA booths from across the globe that had local activities for all the kids to check out. Ireland had the most popular booth with Woad "tattoos", second was the Philippines booth with Tinikling (Filipino stick dancing). I volunteered at the USA booth and got to make lots of new little friends. Everyone had a pretend passport and it was lots of fun stamping everyone's book.

Hope all is well with ya'll - lots of pagmamahal!

H-A-S-A

Making Halloween cookies with our friends

Dinner at Masseto

Aiden working the room at hotel

Sophia's outfit for United Nations Day - in front of a map of our new home land

United Nation's Celebration at Brent International School