Happy Birthday to our dear Uncle Bill! May the good Lord continue to bless you with good health and more APOS... from your Los Banos Family!

Christmas is in the air! Join Dodo, Issa. Luigi and Chuy for a little Christmas country dancing...

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Here's another great way to celebrate it with Little Enzo and his friends... check this out!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

New Look...

Yup, it's still my Mommy's blog! Just made a little renovation here... and getting ready for the Holidays too.

Nothing much new except for a couple of catering services last month. Our weekend stroll in the mall and an overnight bonding with the Virtucio clan at White Cove Beach Resort in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas last October 18. And a little happening at the cementery last November 1. Here are some pictures to share...


The place was nice and yet not sooo expensive, well maybe because it was off season then...

Girls night out at the bar...

This little one is the latest addition in our family... baby DK!

This is Chuy now... big boy na ano!

Thanks for looking! Oh by the way... we'll surely have a great Christmas this year, promise! Stay tuned and find out why? hehehehe...

Issa

Daddy is 9 Years Old in Heaven!

It's Daddy's 9th death anniversary today, parang kailan lang ano! But it was 9 years na pala, we miss you Dad! It's his birthday in heaven, so it's a long day celebration again just like when he was still alive. Mommy cooked Daddy's favorite Morcon, Pancit Malabon, Carbonara, Hamonado and a lot more. We offered prayers for his soul and flowers in his resting place.





Enzo was so pasikat today... played around with his bike the whole afternooon.

Issa...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!

We celebrated Mommy's birthday at Ban Thai, our favorite resto at Grove. I bought her a little cake at Ahl's, para naman meron syang ma-blow na candle. It was just a simple celebration but we were all super BUSOG!




Thanks for looking, Issa

Mommy's turning 69!

This is the start of a week long celebration for Mommy!!! And I am blogging to tell you the stories... Issa

Dinner at Tagaytay...
Mommy will be turning 69 this coming Wednesday, July 23. Since Luigi will be having a week of exams in school, we decided to go out last Saturday, July 19 and we went up to Tagaytay City for dinner. We chose Carlos Pizza! We had Nacho and Cheese and Mozarella sticks for the appetizers. Then we had pizza and Ceazar's salad for the main dish. Enzo loved the mozarella sticks dipped in salsa. It was a total YUM...









Dessert at Starbuck's Coffee
There was a Starbuck's shop very near the Carlos Pizza Resto... and the treat continued there! We had Cafe Latte, Capuccino and White cold coffee for Jay, and a huge honey glazed donut that taste like bicho (according to Luigi!)and blueberry slice. All yummy! We hanged out for awhile and called Louie on the phone... ininggit namin sya sa Dubai!

Kamusta na lang sa lahat ng dumalaw sa blog ni Mommy! If you guys have time on July 29, drop by our home and we'll have FUN! Watch out for more happenings...remember, we will be celebrating until July 29.

Issa

Alpha Phi Omega Get Together

May 15, 2008 the feast day of San Isidro Labrador our fiesta at Rhoda's Subd., so we have a reason to bond with the ever faithful brods and sis. Seated in front from left to right is Agie Tetangco, Carmen Millar Paule and Steve Baltazar. At the back (L - R) is Mike Tetangco ( he is not a member of the fraternity but came to join us, this is the first time we met after our vacation in America in Sept. 2007), Dr. Ponce husband of Delia who is next to me, Corky Ramirez and Rey, the current president of the APO Alumni Association.
They came for dinner. I prepared enough food for the group but unfortunately few came. Fe Raymundo was indisposed because of the cold virus. As usual my table was occupied with eight or 9 putahe but Mameng preferred most the fried tilapia with curried banana and pineapple relish. Sorry, I forgot to get pictures of the table but anyway I served green vegetable salad with 2 kinds of dressing, beef caldereta, pork hamonado (the favorite recipe of most of the guests), we have fish fillet, buco pandan for dessert, pancit malabon and a lot more. Almost all the food were prepared by Jay, except for the Arroz Valenciana which I cooked. The brods specially enjoyed the food. After eating Agie led the singing of old time favorites from the magic sing. Every one participated in the singing until 11 in the evening.

Bato Resort, San Cristobal, San Pablo City

San Pablo is about 25 kms from Los Banos, we thought of this because of its short travel distance to save gas. We have been here siguro 10 years ago and I was surprised for the very big improvement. Although this falls is artificially made it is very refreshing to sit infront of the falls. The water is so cold but during warm weather the feeling is good.

Jay and Che resting inbetween deeping in cold water. The water is so clear and running.

Igi, Chuy and Issa, there is no stolen shot. Chuy's smile is patented.

It is nice to be outside the water, it's so... cold. Unfortunately the sky is cloudy because of the incoming typhoon "butsoy".



The falls is the main attraction in this resort. There is a swimming pool near the entrance of the resort, likewise the water is cold. There are small cottages for those spending overnight and umbrella hats with tables for small group. We hired tables in the pavillion where we place our things, clothes, etc. We ate our baon which consisted of chicken-pork adobo, hardboiled eggs, tilapia and bangus inihaw and fruits. We enjoyed the place, there were few people because it was a Tuesday. We packed up early for we were all exhausted. There is a plan to go back, spent the night there, hope it will be realized.

Laiya, San Juan, Batangas

The most awaited 2 days - 19-20 April 2008, we went to Laiya San Juan, Batangas, rented 2 cottages at Kimberly Beach Resort. We occupied one cottage and the other for the parents and siblings of Che. We prepared the food at home and cooked them in the resort. One dish that got so much attention is presented below. I call it 'pinaputok na seafoods' - it is composed of a slice of bangus, 3 pcs halaan, 3 pcs tahong, 1/2 alimasag, 2 slices of pusit, 2 pcs hipon suaje. A slice of margarine is placed on top and garnished with a mixture of vegetables such as celery, onions, ginger and garlic, all chopped. The ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves very tightly and wrapped with aluminum foil to steady the banana leaves and grilled in very high heat for 4 to 6 minutes. The sawsawan is toyo with calamansi. We also have big bangus and a big container of chicken BBQ prepared by Jay. We did a lot of eating that we forgot that all of us are on-diet. Hindi bale paminsan-minsan lang ito. We did not eat so much rice to lessen the intake of calories. We deeped (because I do not swim) into the water late before the sun sets to refresh and early in the morning to avoid the heat of the sun. It is amazing that at 9 am it is already very hot so all of us stayed in the cottage and eat the rest of our 'baon'. The chicken-pork adobo of Che's mom is very good when it is 'bahaw' so we brought home some which was eaten the following morning. The outing turned out to be more of 'food trip'. I guess all of us earned extra pounds.

Lola Goring's 14th Death Anniversary

Before Mama died on April 7, 1994 we were celebrating her birthday on Nov. 17th in Tanauan at Tio Dioneng's house. All the relatives were expecting this event every year. She's liked a debutante with food enough to feed a barangay including special cakes for take home. She emphasized the take home. Now, after her first death anniversary which we celebrated here at my house at LB, the yearly celebration was done at different places where her sisters live. One time we did it in Sto. Tomas at Tia Oreng's house. the following year at Tia Henya, then Tia Nena's. We are all comfortable at Tia Nena's house so we made it there often. Every year, Ronald had the assignment of taking pictures, he made a collage of the event in one page and distribute a copy to the 4 sisters (Elena, Dominga, Asuncion and Aurelia) and of course to Tia Henya. This year, Issa took the pictures because Ronald and Nancy were on a pleasure trip to Sagada, Mountain Province.
I brought beef caldereta, pork hamonado, fresh lum,pia ubod, pancit malabon, bangus and tilapia for inihaw, buco pandan, green mango salad prepared by Che. All the foods were cooked by Jay, except of the inihaw done by Domeng and Joel.
Tia Nena prepared a galapong na bibingka and cassava bibingka, Tia Asuncion, a rice cake the recipe of which was taken from her biyenan who died years ago and prepared by one of the apos, suman sa lihia was given by Tia Ludy who happened to be here visiting her kids. All unconsumed foods were packed for take home.
Cely came with Heidi and Ellen and 3 apos, Hanna. Hazel and Reine, the boys were left behind hindi kasya sa kotse.
We have a short time to interact, but I am so happy for the party was well attended.
I brought one bottle each of multivitamins and calcium, I guess this time it will be for Tia Nena and Tia Inggay na lang.
I almost forget, before we eat we prayed a very long prayer for Mama led by Tia Inggay, the usual prayer for the dead. I think tia Inggay is sickly now, mahina na parati sa doctor, meron siyang scoliosis and heart problem.
Tia Ludy is with Lina in California. She went home to visit the other children. She is very healthy.
We left at 4:30 pm and proceeded to the Shrine of Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas to hear the sunday mass. I had a 9 days mass novena for the dead at San Antonio parish from March 29 to April 7 for Daddy whose death anniversary is on March 30.

Holy Week

We had our annual Pabasa here are home... with the Virtucio's of course! The San Pedro and Calamba families came and they had a whole time bonding with the kids. Ivan, son of Ian and Mae is the latest addition in the family. Watch out for Jonjo and Anna's baby coming soon.... We hope it will be a BOY again! So here is the slide of the Holy Wednesday event at our home in Rhodas...

Chuy turned 4!

March 1 was such a busy day! Aside from lots of food orders because it was a Saturday! Luigi had a dance number in the afternoon at the UPLB Auditorium. They celebrated their School's Foundation Day and Annual School Presentations. I prepared dinner for Chuy's little celebration... we had pork hamonado, beef potroast, chicken macaroni salad, buco-fruit salad, pancit luglog, sweet and sour fish and Luigi's favorite carbonara with bacon and botton mushroom. Issa bought a little chocolate cake at Ahl's and just put 4 candles...

Chuy was officially 4 years old then!

His Ninang Glee and Papa Rambo came to celebrate...

With Ninang Janice, Uncle Jonjo and Tita Maan

With his friend Ethan, Yoyette's grandson.

My balaes came too, Pareng Jun and Mareng Gay Manahan, Cheche's parents

Elsa, Angelo and Gale came late...

He got lots of gifts...

And this was his favorite of all... a gift from Lola Elsa!

Luigi and his adviser Teacher Pia Banasihan

Luigi with his classmate

Their dance number... highschool musical!