pin the nose on rudolf

we actually did it. we had Christmas in July at nick and saras and oh what a glorious celebration it was! from eggnog to hot apple cider, to caroling in the neighborhood, to putting up the mistletoe (also known as tomato leaves) to watching Elf and playing pin the - not tail on the donkey- but you guessed it... pin the nose on rudolf. we had a lot of good laughs and christmas outbursts whenever someone would walk in and our neighbors most likely thought we were nutz... but you know what, seize the day... were evidently bringing life to the community and its even merrier when you do it with friends.... merry jolly christmas in july everyone and may the yultide carols make your heart all warm and fuzzy until the real thing... next up? ohh.. if we only knew...

O, say can you see

yes, i am living in Australia for the time being... but it doesn't necessarily mean that the American holidays don't live on. probably because i'm pretty much surrounded by Americans and you can't really forget about these events. so yes... my friends and i decided we were going to celebrate independence day with a mini sparkler ceremony down by the beach. it was great fun... though towards the end it felt like it turned into a toxic inhalation party because of the fumes and the sound of cancer coughs... we created memories anyhow and was quite memorable.

sing with me now... "O, say can you see by the dawn's early light... What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming..."

this is my space.

this foto is taken in my office and this is what i look at everytime i look up at my ceiling over my desk. my friend did this. and yes, it is my space. which therefore, makes it joanna space.

world- this is xavier

oh... allow me to do the introductions...

world- this is Xavier Moses Haythorpe...
and Xavier, say hello to the world....

so my good friends luke and angela just welcomed their fourth and last child into the clan last saturday, march 29 at 6:28 p.m and hes a cute one i tell ya and hes been smothered with lots of love already... i was honored to be right there in the room to greet the little guy and to capture these moments of life- and to be reminded once again that this... life... is a miracle. i keep this up- i'll be a mid-wife slash fotographer... or mid-fotographer or foto-wife... okay, this entry is done. check out my flickr for more fotos of the birth of baby moses...
welcome to the worldxavier

flowery foo-foo easter sunday dress

happy resurrection day.... im a bit late (whats new) with this entry but still- i hope that everyones easter celebration was splendid... some random thoughts came to me about my childhood and celebrating easter sunday growing up... and how everything as a kid is exciting... you know, my new flowery foo-foo easter sunday dress with white tights and the matching white pink hat and white gloves, dying the eggs and bringing it to the easter egg hunt in my cool matching basket.... all of it... *sigh *.

He is... risen!

agree with mr. miller

there's a bit in one of donald millers books where he writes, "everybody has to change, or they expire. everybody has to leave their home and come back so they can love it again for all new reason"...  i'll say now that its not necessarily the reason why i go home, but i can agree with mr. miller when he writes about going back home and loving something again for all new reasons. i was just recently home in california for 6 weeks and i had a fantabulous time! it was full of good eats, good company, good food, good sleep, good tv (although debatable but compared to aussie tv its true), good times and basically... good everything. a short trip to l.a. also allowed me to see some good friends i haven't seen in years and reunions are never short of sweet. and i came to a realization in the simplicity of all, that my heart will always be with my filipino-american peeps... whether it might be for a couple weeks or a few months, i don't take for granted my time that i get to spend at home and i always find gratefulness in my heart for friendships and family over there. but i was ready to face the year and get back into y-wizzle and now im back in australia! if i keep to my goals, i'll be updating more on my blogger and won't keep you guys wondering what im up to... keep bugging me but it come down to it and  if you must... say i stink at blogging and then you'll see more posts... cheers.