Joie de Vivre

I couldn't proceed to make any other posts without an account of the events in the past couple of weeks.

After six long years in university, I finally graduated!!

We had our work Christmas party at the Moonee Valley Racecourse. Horse races are so huge in Melbourne but this was only my first time to go.

Melbourne will always be more fun, with my lovely parents and Ate around.

The 3 week-old Sunny (Jon and Jassie's new car) had her first big adventure trip - a 10-hour drive to Sydney! Jon was still recuperating from his knee surgery so it was only Jassie and I, who took turns in the long drive... well and a 15-minute contribution from Ate, which kept us all WIDE AWAKE! Haha.

My second (or third?) time to spend Christmas in Sydney! Tito Edgard and Tita Yollie hosted us in their beautiful home.

I'm still trying (and struggling big-time) to recover from the all the calories I gorged the last holidays. Aarghh. 

Family get-together and superb food at PJ & Leisl's and Kuya Roy & Ate Sally's homes.

The lights in St Mary's Cathedral almost moved me to tears. The photo doesn't give justice to the gorgeous feature they had especially for Christmas. The lights change in synch with very soothing music.

My first time to see so many people in a shopping centre here in Aussie... only on Boxing Day Sale!

We got back in Melbourne on the 28th of December and mum and dad flew back to the Philippines on New Years Day.

Our first dinner of 2011 was with the stunning Melbourne city scenery from Sky High, Mount Dandenong.

I don't know if it's watching the movie outdoors, under the moon and the stars that made me like it but I reckon Eat Pray Love wasn't bad at all! I really thought the scenes in Italy were pretty good. :)

A delectable breakfast at Port Melbourne, exploring Luna Park and St Kilda with my sisters and lolo.

Now that they have gone back to the Philippines, everything's resumed to normality.

We've all returned to work and I'm now again to face the occasional occurrences of piercing homesickness.  

But it is knowing what lies ahead - having experienced beautiful moments like the past couple of weeks - that keeps me going, always looking forward and convinced that the pretty-average will end with the start of another hearty affair.   

So as I bid goodbye to 2010, the year that was; I embrace 2011 with arms wide-open. I feel really good about this year. It's Edward's turn to finish college, we'll be 10 years in May ♥, and I'll be 5 years in Australia in July!! How time really flies!!




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