what makes you happy?

i know i havent said it enough. my parents are awesome... even though there are times when it seems like they are my worst enemy. they just want whats best for us. i couldnt imagine growing up with any other two people to guide me along the way. i am who i am because of them. i look at my life and see that i have so much to be thankful for. i look at the lives of those who have suffered and realize that my pain is nothing compared to theirs. most of the time i sit and complain when they have nothing and no one to turn to. all the while i have a huuuge ass family that is always there for me, supporting me every step of  the way. my parents made sure we grew up knowing the importance of being there for one another.  and they instilled that in us so that we can pass it on to all those we love. i see how much my parents love each other and how much they love us... thats what i want when i have my own family. thats what i want when i grow old. i know im that much closer to it because of the way my parents raised us. i wouldnt have it any other way. thank you God, for my parents.

happy thanksgiving

have you ever seen a person and thought, "hey, that person seems like he'd/she'd be cool. maybe i should talk to him/her" ? but then you see how this person interacts with other people and how he/she acts toward certain situations and then its a total turn off. then all of a sudden you change your mind and never act on that initial thought. interesting how it happens just from observation. how one's attitude about something can change how you see that person. those little things really do matter.

i love my family.

the entire inn to ourselves . the pool and hot tub . private beach . karaoke-ing till the wee hours of the morning . suddenly being ok for everyone to drink beer and smoke cigars . lola b's bday presentation . lola as febulous with a clothing line called febu . mahjong . texas holdem . ghost . buxonomy? . titas and titos giving sex advice to the young married couples . babies everywhere . ethan's laugh . seminars/workshops . silk screening . homemade feasts every night . wine tasting . the dunes . setting off fireworks at the beach . being pyromaniacs . smores . late night kitchen raids . "what time did you sleep last night?" "early... like 2.30?" . there are no secrets... everyone eventually finds out . baboo and ken's baby shower . bonding bonding . fire dancing . being the preppiest filipino family that ever existed . everyone fighting over the tiramisu . water balloon fight . interviewing the boyfriends . getting a peek at what it mustve been like growing up in a family with 10 siblings . simon being in love with anna . being forced to take gin shots . breaking out into dance . "isnt maan so much fun when she goes crazy?" . manny's modeling pics . joey's suprised face . unc being tipsy while karaoke-ing . reading in the pool . the miko look-alikes against the non-miko look-alikes . hiding in the loft . "where y'all from... CHINA?" . everybody say...."YAAAAAY CHIIIIIINA!!!!!!!!!" . crowding the ice cream place . natalia's randomness . ken's tj and kyoji impressions . unc's dan impression . waxing . tita espie's manicures and pedicures . maricris's massages . the craziness of the last night . "wasn't i soo pogi?" - lolo b . garcia garcia garcia t-shirts . four generations all at one gathering

nobody does it like we do

http://community.webshots.com/user/maanieee

i miss singing at the T O P of my lungs