Saturday, December 30, 2006

Happy Holidays!


Remember the reunions in Polo of the Anselmos. Well, in our small little way we have been trying to keep the yearly Christmas gathering of the Anselmos alive. At least on the Semilla-Baluyot-Limcangco sides.

It was our turn to host this year our mini-reunion. The past two years it was Joel and Joy who hosted.

We had Ursulas - a Monette own recipe - bits of creamed turnips and ground beef wrapped in lettuce, pancit bihon, inihaw na baboy, tons of lapu-papu fish. Mom prepared ginatan halo-halo for dessert.

The NOW generation gave performances - Jessie and Jopoy gave individual declamation pieces, Jasmin and Danica rendered piano pieces, Jon wowed us with a song! Of course Tita Lita and Mommie were there to provide support by giving out the cash and gift encouragements.

We also had games - everybody joined including Tita Lita and Mom! By the way they were playing one can see that they were enjoying themselves. After all Christmas is not just for the kids but all for the kid-at-heart.

We played a game where two teams vied for the fastest to arrange names of relatives from oldest to youngest. Mom's team won bettering Tita Lita's team by 6 names! We also played Pinoy-Henyo, for those who watches Eat Bulaga on a Filipino cable, they would be familiar with this game. A team tries to guess a word by asking leading questions to a teammate while he/she answers yes-no-or puwede only. This time Tita Lita's team won.

Jon sponsored two more games - one is some kind of "arrange yourselves into...", we had sit on the floor as soon as we arrange our team, Tita Lita's team won. Mom just couldn't get herself to sit down! Her knees just wouldn't bend. Another game was for all yester-generation males. We had to guess what a word was behind us and answer how many we have of it. I think Uncle Caloy won here.

Carlo and Denise, as with Chi could not join us, they were in Dumaguete with their Dad Edwin. Kuya JV had to pick-up Jeanne and Jana and arrived only around 4pm.

Happy Holidays! Enjoy the pictures thru this link:


Thursday, December 28, 2006

Jingle Bells...



























I remember in my younger years, come Christmas season I would go out caroling in our neighborhood in Solis. I would do this with my cousins (Ray, Jerry...) or at times just by myself. With "Silent Night" as my only repertoire and with stringed and flattened "tanchans" as a tambourine I would go door to door, whether I know them or not.

I earned a modest sum, enough to buy candies and things...

I have made my eldest son - Jopoy experience this, but now that he is 16, he feels he is out of age already to do it. This year, my youngest - Jasmin with her cousin Jana (Kuya JV's youngest) went out and wooed our neighbors with their angelic voices.

Much to my amazement, within 30 minutes, they have earned close to 600 Pesos! Uncle Caloy gave the biggest which gave the two girls more encouragement to continue caroling. I wish I could have earned that much in my days...

Noche Buena 2006






Noche Buena is a Philippine Tradition where family or the closest of friends gather on Christmas Eve. A mini feast is prepared usually with hamon, queso de bola and hot cocoa.

To those who may not know - Mommie is in the orange shirt, Kuya in white, my wife, Monette in white, my two kids - Jopoy (my eldest) with red sleeves and Jasmin in purple. And in checkered - well, that's me.

Every year my family together with Kuya JV and his kids go to Mommies (Fe) house in Malabon to celebrate this tradition. This year because Moms street is being repaired, she opted to go to us. Unfortunately, Kuya's kids cannot join us. Oh well, maybe next year...

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Ninang Do's Birthday!


Last year, Ninang Do was given a surprise birthday party organized by Ate Divine. This year she knew she'll have a celebration.

There were ton's of food, drinks and guests.

Anyway, enjoy some pictures taken here: