

Hey there, amazing people of Hive! Welcome back to another fun blog post about what’s been going on with us lately hahaha, yes, life updates galore!
So recently, I celebrated my birthday at home. And can you believe it... I turned 24?! (Say whaaat?! 😂 hahahaha)
At first, I was thinking of just having some “me time” on my birthday. Lately, I’ve been loving those chill days at home — playing Mobile Legends, Call of Duty Mobile, or Valorant, or even just bingeing on Netflix and Disney+ or sleeping the whole day. I don’t know, I guess I’ve just been vibing with quiet days more than going out.
I used to be that person who wanted pool parties or dinners out, but these days, staying in feels like such a treat for myself.
---
Days Before the Big Day 📆
Anyway, a few days before my birthday, Sheree and I talked about what I actually wanted to do for the big day. I told her I was leaning towards a simple lunch or dinner out with family, and with her, of course. But being the practical person that I am, I thought, "Why not just celebrate at home instead?" We could order some pizza, pasta, chicken, or anything that we (especially mom) would enjoy. Way more budget-friendly too! Then Sheree suggested inviting our friends to make it a bit livelier. At first, I hesitated — you know, parties mean clean-up duty later, and inviting over 10 friends? That’s a lot of mess, lol. But... two days before the celebration, I ended up inviting people last-minute anyway 😂 I started with my guy friends, then messaged the rest of the squad. Amazingly, some of them even canceled their plans just to be there for my birthday. A few couldn’t make it because they were out of town, but in total, 10 confirmed guests came (not counting Sheree, who helped my mom prep everything).It's the Big Day! 🎂

I was up by 7:00 AM because mom needed help in the kitchen. After she got back from the market, I helped her peel potatoes and carrots for the Menudo. And let me tell you — her version is next level! She soaks the meat in soy sauce mixed with calamansi extract to make it super flavorful. Hmm, Yum! 😋



And of course, what’s a Filipino birthday party without Lumpiang Shanghai, right?! While we waited for my grandma (the lumpia filling queen), Sheree and I started separating the wrappers — and oh boy, a bunch of them got torn in the process! 🙊🙈 Has this happened to you too? Any tips on keeping the wrappers intact? 😅


So, once the prep was done, our friends started arriving. I was so surprised when someone showed up with a cake! Sheree had already bought several tubs of ice cream, so I figured that would be our only dessert. Though... the cake had my second name instead of my first, which was a little annoying but also hilarious hahaha! 😂
After five hours of preparation, here’s what we had on the table for my little birthday feast: Menudo, Spaghetti (the sauce wasn’t in the photo ‘cause it was still on the stove haha), Chicken Wings, Lumpiang Shanghai, and Dinakdakan made by Sheree’s dad! After we ate, it was game time! 🎤🎮
After five hours of preparation, here’s what we had on the table for my little birthday feast: Menudo, Spaghetti (the sauce wasn’t in the photo ‘cause it was still on the stove haha), Chicken Wings, Lumpiang Shanghai, and Dinakdakan made by Sheree’s dad! After we ate, it was game time! 🎤🎮

