Retired BNF Friday #14

I apologize that I wasn't able to post last Sunday. We went on a short vacation for Labor Day weekend and I have not had the chance to sit down and think about my blog since. It was our first vacation without my son and we missed him. I am sure that it will take some time to get used to. Then in about six years my daughter will leave for college and it will be just hubby and me. Perhaps there will be more time for us to travel as a couple and more time for me to read, write and create.

My daughter really loves the beach. As I was sitting there watching her play in the sand and screaming at the waves, I thought about our childhood and tried to recall a time such as that. It sort of made me sad that for the life of me I couldn't dig anything in my memory vault of a family vacation. Sure, we went on day trips to Antipolo, Luneta and Manila Zoo; but always with aunts and uncles and cousins in a rented jeepney or in my uncle's Ford Fierra. There were times when we tagged along with my dad to Manila cramped in his brown pick-up truck whenever he had to deliver furniture to customers. We also went to watch the Christmas shows outside of COD Department Store in Cubao usually around my birthday when I could pick two toys and my younger sister could pick one (since she wasn't the celebrant). We would then eat at this Chinese Restaurant called Hong Ning, which had the most delicious Pancit Canton and Ampalaya Con Carne I've ever had. I could still taste it to this day. Oh, the simple pleasures of being a child.

In the midst of all those people in the beach, I realized that I could not remember a single present I ever received as a child, but I remember events and places. I remember emotions and tragedies, simple joys and feelings of loss. I remember that we never went on family vacations, but I also know now that as young and broke as our parents were back then...they tried their best. Becoming a parent made me understand. Parenthood made me more forgiving of my parents' shortcomings. They did the best they could with the knowledge and resources they had. It's all good. I must bear this in mind when buying my children "stuff" versus creating happy memories together that will last them a lifetime. We should go on family trips more often, even just weekend getaways...and make deposits to their memory bank.

Oh well, before I get completely sidetracked from the purpose of this post, allow me to share with you a really cute Halloween card. For someone who did not grow-up celebrating Halloween, I sure love this holiday.

Card Recipe

Stamp Set(s): Teeny Tiny Wishes, Sweeter Treaters
Paper: Card stocks in Concord Crush, Dusty Durango, Basic Black, Pear Pizzaz and Whisper White
Ink: Classic Stampin' pad in Basic Black and Stampin' Write markers
Accessories: Punches in Modern Label (119849) and Pinking Hearts Border, Embossing Folder in Spider Web (120889), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Well, that's all for now. I have a very busy weekend ahead of me. Thank you for stopping by.