birth anniversaries need not be expensive

it's been a month since my boyman wowa turned 8. we weren't able to celebrate it with the usual kid's party with balloons, clown and games, overflowing food (and visitors too) coz 1. we can't afford it this time (it's never good to get a loan just to have a birthday party) and...
 2. we realized (noticed) that during parties it's the parents that have lots of visitors and the kid doesn't enjoy the party that much 'coz he has to smile, bless (a gesture of respect) and do other things (like pose, dance, sing, recite a poem et.cet) that visitors and parents would request. oftentimes, the day (or night) ends so tiring you forget the essence of it all...

flashback: since i (his mama) won't be around during his birth anniversary, we planned to have a sort-of-bday-party days ahead. we bought cookies, chips, nuts and chocolates, made grape juice, deep-fried (meat-looking) tuna crazy cuts and invited his favorite playmates for a pica-pica...

he called each of them by saying 'lika pica-pica party tayo'...and his friends arrived (one by one that beautiful morning)... while having the pica-pica, they played bowling (you know, one of those plastic bowling toys), computer games (the one that needs a one-peso coin for a few minutes of game) nearby, watched re-runs of diego (and dora), played bingo-chess and did an attempt to play scrabble.

my my! they had fun!!! those laughters and giggling (and unguarded munching) were priceless! no need to bring gifts (that's the down side though hehehe). no need to dress up in weird (sweatshirt-like) costumes and all--- just be there to have fun and enjoy the blessing of another year.