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Joining the blogging world and Jen for another edition of 7QT Friday.

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It's FOUR days before Christmas! Are you done with your shopping?
Here's some sites for awesome Christmas gift guide for preschoolers and toddlers, for preschool boys, for little girls, just for anybody in the family. how about last minute hostess-friendly gifts?
These are just my random picks of blog entries while surfing my blogroll. Of course, there are tons of GIFT GUIDES out there.

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Who is working Christmas Day?
I've been fortunate to be on maternity leave last Christmas. So this year, I gave up Christmas break. I will be at the hospital Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. (But will get New Year's Holiday week off!)
Christmas at Riley hospital is a lot of fun. There's carolers, colts players visiting, holiday feasts, bright lights and decors, Christmas trees etc. As long as I am not "on-call" Christmas Day, I won't mind coming in. I will still be home part of the day on Christmas to open presents with my family.

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Filipino traditions: Simbang gabi - this is the Filipino tradition of going to Mass at dawn for 9 consecutive days or novena before Christmas.
Why such an early mass at dawn, you ask? It's mainly for the farmers so they can go to mass before starting their day in the farms. Simbang Gabi is also called Misa de Gallo (literally Mass of the Rooster).The rooster is your alarm clock to get to mass at 4a!

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Filipino traditions: Aguinaldo
Kids loooooove this tradition. What would be better than toys for Christmas? Weeelllllll: cold hard "fresh-from-the-bank" nice and crisp cash! As kids we would visit our ninong and Ninang (godfather and godmother) and get our Christmas blessings coupled with our aguinaldo's.
Aguinaldo means bonus or Christmas bonus! Thanks to being colonized by Spain for 333years, we have Spanish last names and also Spanish words......

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Filipino traditions: Noche buena

Such an awesome tradition because food is involved. This is the grand meal on Christmas Eve right at midnight. Usually the family goes to Christmas Eve mass and then end the evening with a delicious meal at home. Itrs a feast of traditional Filipino food but also with fruit, hamon (christmas ham), cheese. oh yuummmm...

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Switching gears now: I started a new series here on my blog. Hopefully it will be a regular weekly thing --- at least this is my goal. I'll start out with verses to share... a love letter.... Share a saint..... And prayer request
Check them out 'k?

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Funny quote
Shared by my friend MR who is pregnant with baby boy #2. She dropped off baby boy #1 at the daycare.

Omg baby brain! I hung my coat and scarf up in Mj's cubby this am. Ms. C was like, oh, are you staying?

I totally understand what she's talking about. Pregnant brain, postpartum brain -- all so scattered brain and s---l----o----w.....