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2015: In Review

By Erika Presson, December 31, 2015

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2015 was rather a really busy year for the Presson household. It was mostly a year focused on work for both Scruffy and I, just a little bit of fun and travel in between. I’ve been mostly busy with work and domestic life, that my last post on this blog has been in August 2015! (Yeah, no kidding.)

2016 will be a different year both for us (Scruffy and I) and this blog. The blog will definitely get updated since I have another USCIS / Immigration Process lined up in February 2016.

Without further ado, here’s our 2015 in photos:

January 2015

Scruffy’s a quarter of a century old!

#Birthday boy #ScruffyHubby happy with his #Sushi boat! #ThePressons #MrScruffy #MrsPresson

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Jan 9, 2015 at 5:05pm PST

February 2015

First year anniversary at work!

Too busy at work today. Looked at my phone and thought this date was familiar. Just realized it’s my 1st year work anniversary. LOL.

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Feb 10, 2015 at 3:30pm PST

March 2015

Went to visit one of my favorite uncles (mother side) in California, as it may be my last time seeing and spending him. It was a bittersweet meeting / last goodbyes.

Visiting my Uncle and Relatives in California.

April 2015

It was still snowing in April! While other states celebrated the arrival of Spring, here we were stuck in Winter. (Just like every year I’ve been here, really.)

#Snow in #Spring. THIS is #GrandForks . Also, not an April Fools joke. Tapos na yung April Fools kahapon. LOL.

A video posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Apr 2, 2015 at 1:03pm PDT

May 2015

…And still snowing. In May. Extended Winter much? Oh and it was my 32nd birthday. :P

Halfway through May, and spoke too soon: #Spring in #GrandForks. #Snow #SpringSnow

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on May 18, 2015 at 8:18am PDT

June 2015

Finally got our Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Marriage Certificates and CEMAR! This was done of course with the help of some friends back home in the Philippines. By the way, PSA was previously known as National Statistics Office or NSO, in case you’re wondering.

NSO Marriage Certificate ≠ NSO CEMAR (Certificate of Marriage?!) ≠ (sorta..) Report of Marriage Umm ok? Glad all the paperwork’s done. Including Change of Name, Status and Beneficiary with SSS and Pag-ibig! All within a month. YAY for E-Census.com.ph, Authorized representatives and FedEx! Thank you Papa, Mae, and Ricky!

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Jun 9, 2015 at 10:50pm PDT

So now we’re officially married in the Philippines. :P

July 2015

4th of July celebration at Downtown Grand Forks.

I honestly don’t know what this year’s theme is. Found at #GrandForks Town Square. Heh. Happy 4th, #Murica !

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Jul 4, 2015 at 6:32pm PDT

…And my husband was enjoying his “blings”.

My #fabulous husband. Bow.

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Jul 4, 2015 at 7:57pm PDT

August 2015

Showed up for my Philippine Consular Outreach appointment in Maplewood, Minnesota. I renewed my Philippine ePassport and updated it with my Married Name. I also registered for Overseas Voting for the upcoming 2016 Philippine General Elections.

August 8, 2015 2015 Philippine Consular Outreach Philippine Consulate General, Chicago (#ChicagoPCG) Philippine Center of Minnesota Maplewood, MN #ConsularOutreach #ConsularOutreachMN #PHConsularOutreach #PHConsularOutreachMN #PhilippineConsulateGeneral #PhilippineConsulateGeneralChicago

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Aug 8, 2015 at 11:13am PDT

We also stayed in Bloomington, MN where Mall of America was. Mall of America (MOA) is the largest shopping mall in the United States.

Sea Turtle says “HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!” (Excuse the kilay, hindi maayos. LOL) @SeaLifeMN #SEALifeAquarium #SEALifeMN #SEALifeMOA #ThePressons #MrPresson #MrScruffy #MrsPresson #MrsBlur

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Aug 9, 2015 at 3:57pm PDT

We also participated in the 2015 Fargo Pride Parade!

Fargo = :) <3 #FargoPride2015 #FargoPride #FargoPrideParade #FargoND #Fargo #ND #NDLegendary

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Aug 16, 2015 at 12:35pm PDT

September 2015

We went on our 2nd Anniversary trip to South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, The Geographic Center of the United States in Belle Fourche, and other cities in South Dakota, and passed through Medora, North Dakota like the year before. (Technically, it was the end of August that spilled onto the first week of September 2015. :P)

30 August 2015 2nd Wedding Anniversary Mount Rushmore Keystone, SD Hi from Thomas, George, Theodore, and Abraham. :) #HiFromSD Sculpted by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum… And 400 workers, of course. #ThePressons #MrPresson #MrsPresson #MtRushmore #MountRushmore #KeystoneSD #SouthDakota #TravelSD #TravelSouthDakota #DiscoverUSA

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@mrsprsn) on Aug 30, 2015 at 9:19am PDT

30 August 2015 2nd Wedding Anniversary Crazy Horse Memorial Custer, SD Crazy Horse Scale Model (1/34th of actual size) and actual Crazy Horse Memorial (Still under Construction since 1948) Commissioned by: Henry Standing Bear, a Lakota elder. Designed and sculpted by: Korczak Ziolkowski (1908-1982) “If completed, it may become the world’s largest sculpture, as well as the first non-religious statue to hold this record since 1967…” – Crazy Horse Memorial, Wikipedia Yes, it’s definitely bigger than Mount Rushmore. #HiFromSD #ThePressons #MrPresson #MrsPresson #CrazyHorse #CrazyHorseMemorial #CusterSD #SouthDakota #TravelSD #TravelSouthDakota #DiscoverUSA

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@mrsprsn) on Aug 30, 2015 at 2:02pm PDT

31 August 2015 2nd Wedding Anniversary Trip Belle Fourche, SD Hello from the Geographic Center of the United States! (Originally, it was in Smith Center, Kansas but was moved to Belle Fourche, SD because of Alaska and Hawaii.) #HiFromSD #ThePressons #MrsPresson #MrPresson #BelleFourche #BelleFourcheSD #SD #TravelSD #TravelSouthDakota #DiscoverUSA

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@mrsprsn) on Aug 31, 2015 at 4:50pm PDT

A few days after we got back from our trip. The uncle I visited in March met his Creator. It was a very, very somber time. But I’m glad his suffering has ended, and my uncle is in a better place now.

My earliest memory of you was when I was younger, you would tell me you’d make me disappear with your “magic”. You’d raise your fist and make me scurry away. Whenever we’d visit you, Tita Evita, Ate Guylaine, and Ate Monique at your house in Makati, you made sure I had chocolates to take home with me. I was probably 9 when you all left for the U.S. When I traveled alone to CA in 2009, you were patient with me and drove/toured me around Silicon Valley. You even took your time to have lunch with me and see me off on my last day in San Francisco, even if you had work that day. Spoiled niece, maybe? Fast forward to March of this year, I’m thankful that I was able to spend some time with you, even for just a few short days. Maalaga pa rin kahit na ikaw dapat yung inaalagaan. There were a few times that you checked up on me when I was supposed to keep an eye on you. And told you to not worry about me and that you should just rest. LOL. We will forever cherish the memories we all have with you. You’re in a better place now. Thank you, Tito Jun. We love you. P.S. Your “handsfree” cellphone is one of the favorite memories I have of you. :P http://sports.inquirer.net/192753/castro-father-of-ph-running-71

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Sep 10, 2015 at 7:21pm PDT

October 2015

Scruffy and I needed a little out of town trip for a weekend to lift our spirits up a bit. With Grand Forks, ND so close to the US-Canada border, we were only 2 hours away from Winnipeg, Canada so we drove on for a short weekend getaway trip.

17 October 2015 The Pressons’ Weekend Getaway Winnipeg, MB, Canada The Canadian Museum for Human Rights #Winnipeg #Manitoba #Canada #CanadianHumanRightsMuseum #HumanRights #Museum #MrsPresson #MrPresson #MrScruffy #MrsBlur #ThePressons

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@mrsprsn) on Oct 17, 2015 at 10:40am PDT

17 October 2015 The Pressons’ Weekend Getaway Winnipeg, MB, Canada Tower of Hope The Canadian Museum for Human Rights #Winnipeg #Manitoba #Canada #CanadianHumanRightsMuseum #HumanRights #Museum #TowerOfHope #MrsPresson #MrPresson #MrScruffy #MrsBlur #ThePressons

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@mrsprsn) on Oct 17, 2015 at 10:52am PDT

17 October 2015 The Pressons’ Weekend Getaway Winnipeg, MB, Canada The Canadian Museum for Human Rights #Winnipeg #Manitoba #Canada #CanadianHumanRightsMuseum #HumanRights #Museum #MrsPresson #MrPresson #MrScruffy #MrsBlur #ThePressons

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@mrsprsn) on Oct 17, 2015 at 10:49am PDT

17 October 2015 The Pressons’ Weekend Getaway Winnipeg, MB, Canada Join the Conversation The Canadian Museum for Human Rights #Winnipeg #Manitoba #Canada #CanadianHumanRightsMuseum #HumanRights #Museum #MrsPresson #MrPresson #MrScruffy #MrsBlur #ThePressons

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@mrsprsn) on Oct 17, 2015 at 10:56am PDT

In general, Filipino Citizens need a Tourist Visa to visit Canada but since I’m already a Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder), I didn’t need one. I only traveled with my Passport and Permanent Resident Card Form I-551 (Green Card).

November 2015

We finally saw the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)! I’ve always wanted to see them and since moving to North Dakota, I knew I had a chance to see them before they dim out (for the next decade, I think). It was also Scruffy’s first time to see them as well. Since 2013, we’ve tried to chase these Auroras. Took 2 years and several tries, and we finally did!

Finally saw the #NorthernLights with ze husband @chrispresson ! He took photos and he will be posting them on his Facebook… Or Instagram tomorrow. :P #AuroraBorealis #NorthDakota #ND #NDLegendary

A photo posted by Mrs. Presson (@erikapresson) on Nov 7, 2015 at 1:02am PST

December 2015

Christmas this year, like all other Christmases since I moved, were fairly quiet ones. It’s just me and Scruffy and our annual tradition of Smores! :)

Noms with @erikapresson #ThePressons #MrsPresson #MrPresson #MrsBlur #MrScruffy #Christmas2015

A photo posted by Chris Presson (@chrispresson) on Dec 24, 2015 at 9:50pm PST

Despite the sad times of losing a loved one, we are quite thankful about 2015. So here’s to a new year. We can’t wait for what 2016 would bring us. Looking forward to 2016!