Halo Halo

I know I have blogged about halo halo in the past, but I thought I would share a picture of the kids eating some. Recently we went to the pool after dinner and stopped for a treat on the way home. The kids kind of debate whether this was a treat or not. They would have rather stopped for milkshakes, but that's not an option. For those of you who didn't read the earlier blog or don't remember, halo halo is kind of the national dessert for the Philippines. While there isn't one particular way to make halo halo, it is basically a mixture of crushed ice topped with milk or coconut milk, sweet beans, coconut, jackfruit, other various tropical fruits, pinipig (pounded dried rice), ube (a purple colored sweet yam), cream flan (leche flan), shreds of sweetened plantain, and jello cubes. Sometimes the whole thing is then topped off with a scoop of ice cream. Halo halo literally means mix mix and I think it accurately describes this dessert. I was a little skeptical about a dessert with beans, but they are actually not bad.

On another food related issue--while we were at the missions conference a couple weeks ago, Em went fishing with some girls. She has always loved to fish, but mostly just throws back what she catches. Here the fished were cleaned and cooked by the staff and served to her for dinner. She had caught quite a few and so we shared them with some friends. Em decided she really likes talapia. It's amazing how much better something tastes that you have caught yourself. The week before conference she had eaten part of a fish head (OK so we bribed her with cold hard cash to try the head). That night I talked her into trying the fish eye. She wasn't wowed by it and probably wouldn't eat it again anytime soon. In our ministry here, people always laugh about the Holmes twins fighting over the fish eyes. Em would gladly give them her share. I guess she is truly an MK now that she has eaten fish heads and eyes. By the way, I'm not sure I've ever seen a fish here served headless.

Sights along the way

I took this picture when we stopped for gas on the way home today. This is a carabo plowing a rice paddy. I love getting out of the city and seeing some of the beauty of the Philippines.

Time to head home

Well, it is time for us to head home. The kids have had a great time running around playing and swimming with all the other MKs. They have had a children's conference run by a church from Hemet, CA. Here is Em gettting into the van this morning with 3 shirts on. A t-shirt, a thin sweat shirt, and her conference t-shirt. When we get home, I am going to have to call my Mom and Sister-in-law and ask them to buy up some sweat shirts and sweaters on clearance for the kids or they will never survive furlough.

Em and Will sitting in the back of the van.

Coconut Croquet

They have a fun game here called coconut croquet. Instead of a ball you use a coconut. It's not as easy as it looks. Here is Will giving the ball a good smack.

"I won!"

DR. AL

One of the reasons we are at this conference is for Allan to do some medical consulting and teaching. Most of the missionaries here work in remote tribal areas of the PI. It doesn't matter what their background, they often become the medical expert of their area. Allan spoke this year about TB--a common illness here. One of the most common things he seems to do each year at conference is look in people's ears.

Coconut Trees!

We are really enjoying our trip to the country. The weather has been very cool here. The kids have worn a sweat shirt every morning and evening. It has been great to be able to sleep under a blanket without a fan. Tonight at dinner the temp was 70 degrees. I can't wait to see how cold the night feels.

The camp where we are is in a coconut grove. I love the look of coconut trees. Here are a few pictures:

A baby coconut tree

A Trip to the Province

Each year, just after New Year's we leave home to take a trip out to Laguna for a missions conference. It is great to get out of the city and see some of the beauty of the Philippines. Today, we stopped for lunch along the way at a restaurant called Exotic. It was quite an exotic experience for some of us. Allan ordered Kambing Caldereta. Kambing is the Tagalog word for goat. It was quite delicious, although with the sauce, Al was a little skeptical of what all was in it. I ordered a something semi-safe-Korean Bulgogi and then I split an order of sawa with Scott. Sawa is the Tagalog word for Python. It was actually pretty good. Too many little bones though. I was quite proud of my adventurous self, but I am still not ready to eat balut (a half formed duck egg).

The kids would not be quite so adventurous as their parents. Will ordered his standard cheeseburger and Em ordered a club sandwich. Oh well, I was young once and I definitely wouldn't have eaten snake or goat. Actually, I really disliked rice unil I was in college. Who would have thought that it would play such a vital role in my adult diet.

Python cooked in coconut milk

About to take my first bite!

Happy New Year!

It is officially 2008 in our part of the world. We are just about to head to bed, but I thought first I would share just a glimpse into New Year's Eve in Manila. (It's late so please excuse any typos or strange wording) This town loves this night. It is indescribable what it is like to be here on News Year's Eve. The sky is filled with fireworks for 2+ hours until the city completely diasappears in the smoke. Our ears ring with what sounds like a major battle. It is an amazing thing to see fireworks spread across the whole skyline as far as you can see. These aren't just cheapo bottlerockets either, although we do have our share of those. It is an impressive display of huge explosions filling the night sky. So here is 40 seconds or so of the city taken about 8 minutes before midnight. My digital camera doesn't capture the true spectacular expanse of it.

Playing with the cousins

This summer in the states, our kids were introduced to a fad sweeping the American tween population. Just 3 days after arriving in the US, we traveled from Pine Mountain to Greenwood, SC. We stopped off at a mall in Atlanta to look at computers and eat at Chick-fil-a. During lunch this hurried looking woman with 2 kids stopped by our table and asked.."Are you from here? Do you know where we can find Web___?" We said no and after she left, I asked Allan, "Did she say webcams? Weblings? What is that?" If you have a kid between the ages of 6-14 you will probably know exactly what she was asking about....that online craze called Webkinz. Our kids learned the very next day from their friends the Hollisters who took them out and purchased them each one (Thanks Susan). It seems everywhere we went this summer, kids were obsessed by these webkinz. For those of you uninitiated to the world of Webkinz, these are stuffed animals that have codes for an online website where they live and play. While we have tried to keep their addiction to a bare minimum, there has been an upside to this fad. It has been a way to spend time with their cousins 9000 mile away. Most Saturday mornings you can find our early riser, Will, up and at the computer with the Vonage phone in front of him turned on speaker phone. On the other end of the line, it is Friday night and his cousins Laura and Beth are in the same position. Each of them is logged into Webkinz World where they are playing games against each other and visiting each other's houses. Emily, our slug-a-bed, joins in after she gets up. Often they play until the cousins have to go to bed. (thankfully my brother has a new landline phone plan with free long distance) There is lots of giggling and laughing and a good time is had by all. This Fri/Sat time seems to be the one constant time they are all up and free at the same time. School, bedtimes, and church tend to fill in the other times. For Christmas, Mimi sent Emily and Will each a new Webkinz because you certainly can't have just one!? They have enjoyed the days of vacation which has meant some extra mornings and also a couple evenings visiting with their cousins.
The Webkinz trend is beginning to spread through the missions community as well. We obviously weren't the only ones to be introduced to them last summer.

Maligayang Pasko!

Merry Christmas from the Gilmers!

Capiz shell Parol-

the official Christmas decoration of the PI

It has been a really nice day in the Gilmer house. Allan and I really love tradition and this year was spent like so many before, whether here or in the US. We ate the same breakfast cassarole I have had every Christmas morning since I was a child. We took turns opening our gifts and spent time with family as we talked to them on the Vonage phone. One of our new traditions in the PI is to eat a Crown Pork Roast for Christmas dinner. We really like this. It makes an impressive show and tastes so yummy. Mags likes it too since she gets some bones, fat and a little meat.

Hope you are spending the day with those closest to you--even if, like us, it is just by telephone.

So as we say here...Maligayang Pasko Po!

Allan, Ginger, Emily, & Will

The Children are nestled all snug... on the floor???

I have blogged so much in the last 2 days, but I want to be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas. It is officially 12:01 AM on Dec 25th. There are fireworks exploding all around us. This is when the Filipinos celebrate Christmas. They will eat a big meal in the next little while, visit grandparents and godparents for gifts and money before finally hitting the hay in the wee hours. Their celebration will be over before most of the US even goes to bed on Christmas Eve. Actually before most people even eat dinner.

We have had a nice evening together as a family. We ate the leftovers from the meal we had yesterday with our partners. They left this morning to spend Christmas in the province at the New Tribes base camp in northern Luzon. After dinner, the kids put on their new Christmas pjs. Most years I make them new ones. Afterwards, each of them opened 1 present from their Nana and Gramps. Will and I then played the new PS2 game he received while Al and Em watched a movie.

We ended our evening around the Advent wreath with a devotion, singing and prayer. The kids were able to strike a match and light the candles on the wreath this year. They have gotten so old. This is the first time we haven't had the traditional colored candles in our wreath. I have imported them in the past. Not this year though. They are all white because that is what is available.

Things in the house are quiet now. Emily and Will are off in dreamland; dreaming of gifts they will open tomorrow. They are sleeping out on our lanai under the Christmas tree with Maggie. I am sure they will be up early, but have been told not to wake Al and I before 7.

So until tomorrow.... Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Just for you Billie!

Here is a Christmas treat from the Philippines. It is a favorite of our friend Billie Holmes. It is called Puto Bumbong. It is a common food sold on the street often after the misa de gallo, the dawn mass on the 9 days leading up to Christmas. An online Filipino cook book describes it as "a dish made from purpled-colored ground rice cooked in bamboo tubes that are placed on a special steamer-cooker. Then, they are removed from the bamboo tubes, spread with butter and sprinkled with sugar and niyog (grated coconut). They are then wrapped in wilted banana leaves which will keep them warm and moist until ready to be eaten."
To me it's just OK. We actually haven't even had any this year. (sorry Billie)

Here's their picture of it:

Christmas Carolers

Each year in the Philippines, children Christmas carol from house to house each night beginning on the 16th through Christmas day. They carry homemade drums and bells and anything else that will make a nice sound to accompany them. They sing a mixture of Tagalog and English Christmas songs. In return, they receive a Christmas treat. It is similar to American trick or treating I guess. Emily loves to run to the gate and pass out little goodie bags. The songs they sing at the beginning may vary, but they usually end with the same thank you song that is sung in English to the tune of "Someone's in the Kitchen with Dina". This year we filled little bags with cookies, p-nuts, a sucker, and a kiat kiat.

Kiat kiats are tiny little minature oranges available at this time of year. We love them. They are so sweet and just the right size for eating.

Here are 3 little guys who have come by every night this week.

Photos from recent weeks

Our Internet was so sporadic a few weeks ago that I didn't blog much. We have been quite busy and I just downloaded these pictures from my camera. Thought you might enjoy...

Christmas Piano Recital

They played 3 songs- a solo, a duet, and a Christmas carol that the audience sung along with

Will's soccer banquet --His team placed 2nd

Will still loves swinging in the backyard, Maggie is usually right by his side

Emily and Maggie just before the piano recital

Orphanage Christmas Party

Last Saturday, Cindy, Emily and I took Cindy's bible study girls to a local orphanage for a Christmas party. Cindy does this type of outreach for their Christmas party every year. The girls loved playing with the little kids. One of the leaders, Guia told the kids the Christmas story using a felt board. The girls then sang and danced a few songs. Emily fell in love with a little baby girl named Camille. She was wanting to add something to her Christmas wish list.

Playtime!!!

Cindy's girls loved playing outside on these swings and slides. Most of them do not have access to these.

Wish I could remember the words to this song. It was a great one about Jesus being born to pay the debt for our sins.

Christmas Cookies

The dental team that came in November brought us some goodies from the US. One of the things they brought was a bag of Andes peppermint crunch baking chips. I made cookies from the recipe on the back and I have just one word... YUM!!! These are great cookies. I highly recommend these. I told my mom about them and she also found chips made from real Andes candies. They are one of my Mom's and my favorites.

Today the kids and I began making Gingerbread men. These are one of Will's favorites. Hopefully tomorrow we will ice and decorate them.

Thanks-

Last year some friends from Greenwood got together and shipped us a box of goodies for Christmas. One of the things in the box was a Gingerbread ornament kit from Walmart. It consisted of 30 foam gingerbread cutouts--houses, boys, and girls, and glitter to decorate them. I thought it was the perfect thing to take to Cindy's bible study(see post below). I knew some of the girls would have to wait to get started on our pillow project and some would finish quicker than others. The girls really enjoyed decorating their ornaments. I am not sure how many of them have Christmas trees, but I know they have hung them up somewhere at home. So thanks to whoever sent that to us. I wish I knew who sent it so I could thank you personally. I am only sorry that I have one picture of the decorating. (I was a little busy that day.) Your gift was really appreciated by 20+ girls and one boy(Will). Emily used the extras last Friday when she had 3 girls sleepover. (They made pillows too)

Christmas Pillows

On Easter Sunday 2001, two 12 year old girls knocked on the Nelsen's door and asked Cindy if she would teach them about the Bible. Since that time, Cindy has met each Saturday with a group of 5 girls. I had the privilege of leading them while Cindy was on furlough last year. It is one of the best things I have done while in the PI. In the last 6 years, the girls have gotten older and matured. Last year most of them graduated from high school. Cindy thought it was time for them to begin discipling some girls of their own. So Saturday mornings have changed. There are now 12, 10-15 year old girls who come to the Nelsen's. The older girls are leading and teaching. Cindy still meets with the older girls for planning and oversees the Sat am meetings, providing some leadership and food. The girls have really done a fantastic job taking a leadership role. That's how our jobs as missionaries should work. We need to be working ourselves out of a job.

The last few weeks I have been helping Cindy and her girls with a project. We have been having fun making no sew pillows for the girls to give as gifts to their moms for Christmas. It has been so fun and the pillows came out so cute! Here are a few pictures:

Beginning the process

Stuffing in the pillows

Busy Hands

The finished product

Everyone with their pillow

Mondays

Today is Monday. Mondays are different days for us. We start the morning at piano lessons. Afterwards we go to the library at Faith Academy. Emily soon heads off for a flute lesson with the band director. The kids spend the day doing their schoolwork in the library. We then all get to have lunch with our friends. Will eats with the 5th grade boys, Em with some 7th grade girls, and I get to eat and converse with some grown up ladies! After school the kids go to puppet prectice. They are part of a puppet ministry. Today I am also checking emails and internet stuff since we are once again phoneless at home.

At the end of the Faith school day, the 5th grade comes into the library for their library program and the wonderful elementary librarian lets Will join in. A few weeks ago, Emily helped out by acting out a book while it was being read. I think the title was The Girl Who Wore Too Many Clothes. Em loved helping out.

Out in Manila

We are once again phoneless at home. This time it doesn't seem as if the lines have been stolen. It seems to be a local problem with our line since we are the only ones without. Hopefully the phone company will be out soon. So far it has been over a week. I do love having the new laptop though. We can check emails at other places beside noisy internet cafes. Wi-Fi service is exploding at coffee shops, restaurants and malls all over Manila. Today we are checking the net while eating lunch out after church. We are eating at one of our favorite restaurants in Manila today because of it's free wi-fi. It is truly a Filipino restaurant. We like eating the authentic Filipinno dishes while here. Will is trying to finish his order. He has a big piece of ground meat between 2 pieces of bread with potato strips on the side. Em had the same potato strips with some fried up strips of chicken. We have adapted well to the culture here. We are becoming so Filipino. Here's a picture of Will and I. By the way, the name of this truly Filipino restaurant is TGIFridays.