LAST CHRISTMAS, I GAVE YOU MY HOT

So, yeah, the blazing hot temperatures in Australia cast a pall over the usual December Down Under festivities, but it was still possible to find Christmas cheer and celebrations all over the place...

And the Office Christmas Party heat-checks were still on...

In an ironic twist, I actually got to chill...in Manila (as part of a new seasonal tradition: the end-of-year/budget-utilizing training seminar), and the Christmas lights there were of course 🔥🔥🔥 

Getting back to Sydney, the fam got to airbnb-sit a place that had air conditioning and a pool but which the LLDD-Hyphen-L still managed to make steamy as only she can

On the day itself, there was lots and lots of warm Christmas ham...ming it up for the camera

And after a long heated debate, Sydney decided to push through with its big New Year's Eve fireworks show for everyone

So, yeah, cool.

STAYCATION'S ALL I EVER WANTED

Multiple long weekends meant multiple opportunities for the fam to go off to faraway, exotic destinations. And, boy, did we ever! Let's see, there was a trip to, um, Laguna. Yeah. Then to Cavite. Whoa nellie. And then to Cavite again...

Look, I've been through this before: we got a kid in school now, bills to pay, fantasy leagues to manage...there's not enough time/resources to jet around just to look like a wannabe instagram influencer. On the other hand, the LLDD-Hyphen-L's social media skills and savvy did manage to hook us up with some gorgeous yet easy to get to places. So, yeah, we're happy. And our facebook albums are full.

Lotus Pod  

A beautiful Balinese inspired resort, with intimate pools and lush landscaping. A good base, too, for exploring the waterfalls, parks and historic towns around Laguna.  (I'm not sure, but I think it was also the setting for an Andrea Torres photoshoot. Um, so I've heard)

Riviera

More accurately, a resthouse compound near the golf club and the clubhouse pool. Great for reunions, extended family gatherings, and side-trips to gardens and farms along the Cavite highways. Also great for forcing a certain spouse and child to get over their wussy fear of water slides (the go-to move: go down as a family, but have the flabby husband take the lead -- the sheer drag caused by his large skin surface area will slow the steepest slide down to a near crawl)

Abagatan Ti Manila

More of a workcation, actually, but I'm still counting it because I want to claim something so gorgeous looking and beautifully designed as the place where the LLDD-Baby's photobombs finally seized the crown from the LLDD-Hyphen-L's posing-posing 

pag may time, mama. pag may time