Choco Ice Cream Cake

It's Matthew's 11th birthday. The cake, Creamy Chocolate Ice cream from Shaws Supermarket . Mark, my brother-in-law bought it. Just a simple celebration on a regular school day. The cake on the other hand, is not! Teribol! It's a football cake. Maybe my nephew Matthew (it rhymes...teribol!) likes football, but besides the design of the cake, the taste...a touchdown at $12.00. Teribol!

I'm not a food critic so I have no idea what word to use to describe it. The texture, the creaminess, and all other stuff that goes with it, but to someone who loves sweets and chocolates, this cake is superb! I would say it melts in my mouth, considering it's an ice cream cake. Not to mention the budget constraints, again it's good and to die for. Teribol!

Just to experience the taste of heaven I got from devouring the cake, I wouldn't mind spending another $12.00 before I go home to the Philippines, unless Mark bring home one anytime soon. The chocolate crunchies, if that's even a word; is great! I want more of it and the whole ice cream cake. Teribol!

Surely a bite I would miss and a bite I would take anytime of the day no matter how cold the weather is. Teribol!

Cards

When boredom hits me, i find ways to entertain myself even just around the house. Trying out my new camera and with the help of picnik.com, I eased my boredom with the Christmas cards I made from pictures around the house.

I took this from outside the apartment up on the terrace. it's just a plastic wreath, but its colors got my attention. Simple and yet speaks a lot about the season.

The silver Christmas ball brings out the colors of  red and green from our small Christmas tree. It doesn't matter how small it was for me, but what matters to me is what I can make out of it.

On top of our small Christmas tree is another Christmas ball which i like so much. Another simple yet interesting way to send my warmest greeting for the holiday season.

 from our small terrace, this red ribbon brings out the heart-shaped design of the terrace. It makes me want to share love on Christmas day.

Outside the house, with almost 12 inches of snow, I walked and made footprints in the snow. then made a Christmas card out of it that brings special meaning to the holiday season.

So, don't be fooled by boredom. Sometimes, it helps bring out the creative side of a person  the way it brings out mine. Not to mention, by next Christmas or any other occasions, I don't need to spend much on cards and gifts. I could just do this and present as gifts to everybody. Teribol?  You decide.

Let it snow.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. The heavier the snow, the more fun it is for a first timer like me. Teribol!  Seriously, it is really fun to experience snow in Mansfield, Massachusetts considering it is my first white Christmas. Yes, I have experienced white Christmas and it was fun and exciting for me to see the snow outside the apartment, than opening the gifts I got from my family. Teribol!

This is my 5th time to visit the US, but my 1st to experience white Christmas. It's really not that great compare to the way Christmas is celebrated in the Philippines, but then again with snow, it's one of my memorable Christmas. It would have been nice to celebrate it with my mom, however I lost her to pancreatic cancer last March 2008. I know she's happy looking down on me as I go outside and take pictures of this special moment in my life. I bet, if she can talk to me, she would probably say, "teribol!"

I didn't make any snowman or snow angel, but I had a blast taking pictures from around the neighborhood day or night, regardless of how freezing it is. sometimes I even worried I would ruined my camera which I bought for myself as a birthday and Christmas gift to myself.

Even the neighbors kept asking me if I have had enough of the snow as thy plow the snow off their cars. i just smile at them and say, "Teribol, No!" I'm having fun! I want more! Thankfully, they're such nice neighbors and everyone is very much aware I'm the guy from the Philippines who gets to experience snow for the first time.

With so much excitement, I even made a Christmas card of myself to remember this once in a lifetime event for me.

I can hear my family and friends saying it already, "Teribol!"  ;-)

Regardless what time of the day or night, as long as I feel like going out in the snow and take pictures, i will be outside, wearing 4 or 5 layers of clothing and clicking my camera.

As terrible as it was to all residents of Massachusetts and neighboring states, with 2 snow storms; to a 1st timer like me the experience was fun and exciting...and i can't wait for the next blizzard. Teribol!

 Let it snow, let it snow, let is snow...Teribol!