She's 81 and counting...

My eldest aunt, Auntie Delan (Papa's eldest sister), celebrated her 81st birthday yesterday, and from all indications, I'm happy to say it looks like she's going to be having many more birthday dinner celebrations to come.

To celebrate, we got together for dinner last night at Club Filipino. In attendance were Auntie Delan's entire family (sons, daughters, in-laws, grandchildren), brother Emon (my Papa) and his family (that's all of us in the Philippines, except for my brother Irip, sis-in-law Girlie, and nephews Pau and Enzo who are in the UK), sisters Raye (Un), Jovit, Tik, friends Resty and Rosie. We had a great time as usual, kidding, laughing, telling stories. Food was pretty good, but I loved the lechon and the Hizon cake best.

I always like it when we get together, and it was especially nice because there was a time a few years back when Auntie didn't look as healthy as she does now. But she got a second wind and she's doing great (except for her hearing), and she loves to tell stories. Here's a picture of her from last night:

Looking good

I really like that picture, and of course, she kept telling me that I keep taking pictures of her, but I never give her copies. I admit, I've been guilty of that in the past, but last year, I did give her copies of the pictures I took from her birthday party. :) Funny, when I was a kid, I remember being afraid of her, thinking she was this really strict aunt. But she is a really sweet person.

Anyway, here are several more pictures from last night.

The birthday cake (I love this cake! So very very yummy!!!)

With her "apos" (grandchildren)

Another shot with the grandchildren

With her children and some nieces and nephews and in-laws

With friends Resty and Rosie, sisters Raye and Tik standing;
sister Jovit and brother Emon flank the celebrant

Dad and son (Kuya Boy and Jacob)

My Bentot

Ben with Jacob and their Auntie Mabel

Ben with his Ate Janina, Ate Cat, Jacob, and Auntie Mabel

The cousins (with a very youthful looking aunt ;) )

Ben and Jaden

The boys!

The girls!

And now, here are a few random video clips from last night:

And finally, here's a short video clip of Auntie blowing her candle:

It was, overall a very good night and I, for one, am looking forward to Auntie's 82nd birthday.

Ben turns 6

Ben is now 6 years old. My, how time flies.

He had a birthday celebration yesterday afternoon, with his lolos, lolas, aunts, uncles, cousins, and of course, me. He also had his friend from the neighborhood, Jomer, come.

I wanted to give him something of a Spongebob Squarepants type of party, but I've been so busy I wasn't able to do anything other than some Spongebob Squarepants characters cut outs. I also wasn't able to take many pictures, as I was moving around so much. It was a bit crowded in the house yesterday, and since we still don't have a sofa set, people had to sit on stools, but it was a lot of fun, and getting together with everyone is always nice.

Another get together is likely to happen this Wednesday, when Auntie Delan celebrates her 81st birthday. She's looking good too.

Here are a couple of pictures and a video when Ben blew out his candle. Actually, he blew out a matchstick, because they waited so long before they moved around the cake to sing him his happy birthday song that the wick fell off the candle. He didn't seem very happy about that.

Ben's happy birthday banner

Ben's birthday cake, surprisingly good, I thought

With his cousins and friend after blowing out the candle

Here's the short video of the blowing of the candle:

My little football player

Ben started going to a football clinic yesterday. It's a 6-week/12-session module that is supposedly designed to teach them the basics of football. I asked him a couple of weeks ago if he wanted to join and he said yes, so now he's registered to go for the first module. Yesterday, he was ready to give up after running around for some time, saying he was tired, but he made it to about an hour and half, and this morning another two hours. The sessions run every Saturday and Sunday for the next six weeks, well, five now. Today, he wasn't very happy after the end of the session because he felt that his fellow students were upset with him. He said he wanted to quit. I told him that things will get better and that it's just that some of the other students didn't like the fact that he kept goofing off, which he did. Hopefully, the next few weekends will teach him how to get along and make new friends with the other students (most are prep students at Ateneo as well), and allow him to develop his endurance. I have to give him a couple of puffs from his inhaler before each session starts, so as to avoid the possibility of having an asthma attack. He said he felt good today. Well, he's still got a long way to go, but I'm hoping this first shot at learning a sport will start him on his way to developing a good self-esteem and team spirit. Here's a few shots of him wearing his uniform and on the field...

I missed some...

I was looking over some of my blog entries and realized that I missed posting some pictures from when Irip, Girlie and kids came for a visit. We went to 9 Waves before heading to Baler and I thought I'd add some of the pics from that.

Enzo and Miguel

Mothers with sons, Enzo in the background

Ben and Nanay

Girlie and Enzo

Pau, Daniel, Enzo, LJ, Ben, Isa, Girlie, Miguel

Enzo jumping into the water

Ben happily swimming

Enzo and Irip

Pau and Irip

A new school year, a new school

Ben started a new school year today at a new school. He's now Prep in the Ateneo de Manila Grade School, and joins his cousins Daniel and Miguelin the school (although D & M are now in High School). Another cousin, Jovin, is in ADMU.

Of course, since it's his first day in the new school, there are photos...

Proudly wearing his new uniform

With his Kuya Daniel and Kuya Miguel

Nanay and Ben

I went with him to school today, and the plan is to just wait for him in school during these first few days, since they will be dismissed earlier than the regular dismissal time. Next week, he'll just ride to school with Kuya Toti and Jo and the kids and I will just pick him up later. I woke him up at 430am today, which of course, he didn't like. It was a battle through breakfast and bath, but once he was in his school uniform, he was looking forward to going to school. There were a lot of people bringing their kids in today, first day of primary school at AGS. Anyway, we just led him to the cafeteria and he was good to go on his own (well, with the help of the teachers anyway).

He was let out at 930am, and there was a bit of chaos in getting him from his class, but all went well generally. So now begins a new chapter in his life...grade school...here's hoping he'll do well.

Three weeks of chaotic fun

For three short weeks, it was chaos in our family. Fun-filled chaos that is. My brother Irip, my sis-in-law Girlie, and my nephews Pau and Enzo, flew in from the UK to visit after being away for 3-1/2 years (Girlie almost 4-1/2 years). So it shouldn't be difficult to imagine the excitement Ben and I felt while waiting for them, and then when they finally got here.

To be honest, the three weeks was too short. I wish they could've stayed longer, but Irip and Girlie had to get back to work. Still, we'll take what we can get. Ben was particularly happy, as he had playmates with him for three whole weeks (a welcome respite from the usual play alone he has at home). Irip and Girlie look pretty much the same, but the kids have grown quite a bit. When they left, Enzo was just about Ben's age, and now he's 8 (almost 9) years old, and Pau is 11. They've both stretched up quite a bit. And Enzo's English accent was a blast. It was so fun listening to him talk, although I have to admit, there are many times when I couldn't understand him right away so I had to ask him to say again. Not that it mattered much, since I loved listening to him anyway.

They arrived on March 26, after staying a few days in Singapore where they visited with Girlie's brother and his family. The days prior to going home to Baler were spent either in the mall, at the doctor/dentist, and the day the trip to Baler, swimming at 9 Waves. BTW, this post is going to filled with tons of photos.

Our first outing was to the Mall of Asia. Here are some photos:

Enzo trying the mini-carousel at Timezone

Pau revving it up

Enzo aiming for a strike

Ben on a roll

Enzo and Ben at the ferris wheel

By Manila Bay (we missed the sunset)

Father and sons

That's my boy!

Ben and Pau by the fountain

Late merienda (halo halo and ensaymada) at Razon's

The Tan boys (My Boys): Ben, Enzo, Miguel, Pau, Daniel

My Boys 2

Another mall trip was to Trinoma, albeit not as many pictures:

Mom and son (Girlie and Pau)

Pau, Enzo and Ben by one of TriNoMa's fountains

As it was, most of their (at least Irip's and Girlie's) waking hours spent in Manila were either at the doctor, dentist, or hospital, but they did manage to squeeze in some fun time in between.

On April 3, we (Irip, Girlie, Pau & Enzo; Jojo, Daniel & Miguel; Ben and me) headed home to Baler to visit with Papa and Girlie's parents. During the trip home, Ben and Enzo had a talkathon. Neither wanted the other to win, and at one time during the trip, they were having a contest as to who's got a better theory for the dinosaurs' demise. It got very funny, believe me, and then it got just plain annoying, he he he.

As always, the time spent home was much welcome. My poor Papa, so used to just sitting down on his rocking chair and reading...his life was topsy-turvy for the next 10 days, he he he, but he was just as happy to see his grandchildren all together. Irip and family divided their time between the house in Brgy 4 and in Calabuanan. We went swimming a couple of times at Kuya Boy's house, visited Ermita and Pier, and the kids had a short dip in Ben's ever favorite Biklat River.

These batch of photos are from Kuya Boy's pool and yard:

The boys in the pool

Enzo's big dive

Pau enjoying the water

Ben getting ready for a dive

This looks better that it actually was

Daniel, Enzo, Miguel and Ben

Bosing 1 and Bosing 2

The two bosings with Pau...

with Daniel...

...and with Miguel

Oh my!

My Boys, again

While in Baler, Daniel and Miguel took a day to learn how to surf, and then went surfing on their own a couple of times. Here are pictures of them and some other photos from the beach.

Enzo and Daniel with the board

Miguel on the move...

and Daniel too...

...hooray!!!

Daniel nears the end of his run...

...as Miguel rides on

Nice smiles, dudes

Enzo holds on to the board

Irip and Pau

Pau and Ben on the beach

Still afraid of the water ;)

That's my cutie!

Pau and Girlie

Nice bod, Enzo ;)

Enzo feels the water

Fun fun fun

"Should I go in or should I not?"

"My feet, my feet..."

"I'm getting Mama wet"

We also went to visit Ermita and the pier again, among the usual places to visit while in Baler, and here are the photos from there:

A view (albeit very far away) of the pier from the top of the hill (Ermita)

It does look pacific, doesn't it?

Jo with Daniel, Ben, Miguel and Enzo in one of Ermita's view decks

My Boys...

...and again

Love the look, Enzo! :)

Pau and Irip

Getting their feet wet by the pier

Sunset from the pier

Daniel ponders...

as Miguel gets ready to dive in

What's with that look???

Ben with Nanay and Enzo

Enzo fronts the sun...

...as it bids bye bye

We had planned to have a picnic in Biklat River, but decided not to after Enzo had stomach flu. Actually, Irip, Girlie, Pau and Enzo all had a bad bout with their tummy while in Baler. So we spent the last day in Baler at home, and I pestered Papa to make barbecue and grill some piggy meat.

On the third Sunday of their visit, we went to Tagaytay. As much as some people say there's really nothing to see there, I disagree. We went to the People's Park in the Sky, bought the usual stuff at the Good Shepherd Convent, and then drove around to find a place to get a nice view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano. We finally ended up at the horse place near Taal Vista Lodge, where Ben and Enzo took a ride on a horse (with help, of course). Then lunch followed at Dencio's before we started back home. Here are the photos:

Pau and his first love ;), Jollibee

Getting ready to go up the People's Park

Explorer twins

Pau and Girlie at People's Park

Irip, Pau, Auntie Iring, Ben and Enzo

Fronting the piña: Enzo, Ben, Auntie Iring, and Pau

Girlie joins the troop

Ben, Enzo, Pau with their Tito Tony

GROUP HUG!!!

Bosing 1 and Bosing 2, take two

"Your eyes are so small, Kuya Enzo":"Your eyes are so big, Ben"

Enzo and the fruits

With Taal Lake and Taal Volcano in the back

Ben rides...

...as Enzo waits his turn

The volcano on the lake

Lola Iring imbibes the Buko

Girlie and Enzo

Enzo the explorer

Waiting for the pooping boy

Pau and Irip

As it was though, the three weeks seemed to just whiz by and they had to fly back to England. Ben went with us to the airport to see them off, and was sad the whole day. I guess he missed having someone to play with. He kept asking how long it will be before Tito Irip, Auntie Girlie, Kuya Pau and Kuya Enzo will be back again for a visit. Irip had said it would be a minimum of two years, so I told Ben it'll be a little over 700 days, but he kept insisting they'll be back in 180 days.

Two days later, he's settled back to his old routine of playing by himself. Oh well, it's summertime, and he'll be playing outside again, so he'll be meeting and making some new friends from the neighborhood I hope. Until then...and the next batch of photos...Ciao and Enjoy!