Christmas Is About Family and Loved Ones :)

The last few years of Christmas holidays saw me poring over my phone longer than I could hold a proper conversation with my beloved family members. And sadly, they tolerated it because I knew they love me and accepted that technology formed a very big part of me. Their unconditional love and acceptance of me should have been enough for me to realize never to take the time they spend with me for granted. It took a bit of time to realize that I had been rather neglectful (mea culpa) but I have managed to change (baby steps!!) in the last few months. Thank goodness!!

I used to dive into the bag for my phone each time it beeps or rings, fearful that I might miss out on some important message, on some important phonecall. Eventually though, I was able to maintain my mobile on silent, and it went from “on silent” at times to “on silent” all the time. This took awhile to get used to and was a huge sacrifice for me 🙂 It was almost like going through a withdrawal phase when you’ve been a chainsmoker and suddenly you go cold turkey. That was really so not easy!

I barely spoke about this in the past, but I was also really burnt out. This is still a bit hard for me to admit but yes there were a few times that I went through some emotional difficulty because I was just so burnt out from what I did for a living. I felt like the expectations of me kept getting higher and it was becoming so difficult for me to fulfill, much more surpass them . But of course all that time, I was the only person pressuring myself. Because for one, the people who mattered in my private (off social media) life did not expect anything of me. I pressured myself the most and in the end, that affected my work. And that was why I was not blogging and writing as much– I lost that writing mojo! 🙁

Only a handful of people knew what was going on– just some of my friends, and of course the adults in my family. Every struggle I have had, I have shared with my family. I have 2 older dear brothers (DB) and a dear sister-in-law (DSIL) apart from my beloved mother. Ever since my father passed away, my 2 brothers took over that “check up on the youngest” responsibility and always looked after my well- being.

And so today, on Christmas Eve in snowy Lake Tahoe, I just want to pay special tribute to my 2 brothers, AC & DC 🙂 *my rock band of siblings haha*. Why today and on a blog post? Because I don’t think I pay enough tribute to them, especially with all the support they have given me. They do spoil me but they are also very quick to call me out on my mistakes (especially when I get bitchy lol). And that’s why I am so grateful for their presence in my life. I think my parents really taught them so well. And I’m likewise fortunate to have a sister-in-law whom I get on with so well (hahaha we gang up on my brothers lol).

So because I was feeling generous during our winter holiday in Tahoe (lol told them they can only order the mains– only one per person lol!! And no appetizers lol), I treated the brood to this quaint 30- year old Italian restaurant called Passarretti’s 😉

I had the cappellini with tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms *gulp I finished the whole plate on my own– proof that I am not just the family’s designated driver but am also the designated garbage can hahaha!*

Ok I was actually being a cheapskate because a night ago, the family treated me to Quince, a 2-Michelin star decorated restaurant in Downtown San Francisco (which DB booked 2 months ago)… and haha that meal definitely cost more than a pretty penny lol. It was very, very, very good and I highly recommend it!

We had over 6 courses

I was so full from that dinner that I skipped 2 meals the next day. That was insane (also because I had lost count of the amount of bread I devoured at the Quince dinner hahaha…. busted!!!)

Ahhh… good times and great memories!!

Christmas is really all about family and I couldn’t have asked for a better holiday because I am spending it with everyone 🙂 I have become very “private” about my own family only because everything else about my life is documented on social media. I still need my reality– the offline reality that I am not really a clotheshorse (so you don’t see me OOTDing all the time– be grateful for that haha coz trust me, you do not want to see my face plastered on your instagram feed with every update you make lol), that I am really so comfy in an old shirt and a ratty pair of jeans, that I don’t mind spending my whole day in pajamas (oh heaven!), that I love to cook for family, and that I am just a working (and I think safe to say, workaholic) mom who has a rather unconventional job which requires a lot of travel and a lot of phone time. Even while traipsing around inches deep in snow lol (ta-daaaah ootd hahaha… ok not really lol)

Kidding aside,I am really so blessed to have this special time off to be with family. 2015 has been a great year, and I can only say with certainty that this year was way better than 2014 but that 2016 will be an even better year filled with so many surprises that I cannot wait to share once the deals have been inked 🙂 Do yourselves a favor this December 25. Go offline and spend all your time with your family and loved ones 🙂 And if you happen to be in a place that has fresh snow, go build a snowman with them 🙂