It's Nanay Neda's 70th Birthday!
The feeling was so high as I see my family, my grandparents, cousins, nephews and other relatives gather together on this very special occasion. It's inspiring and overwhelming!
Nanay Neda is diabetic and she almost has an impaired hearing caused by the medicines she's taking. It's also a little bit hard for my lola to take a walk or higher steps maybe because of diabetes and old age.
Our family is no exemption to those family-wars which is unavoidable and is usual to all families, but I guess, every problem and challenge tie us even more stronger and closer to one another. If there's time for war, more often are the times to make LOVE.
Last February 26, Sunday, we celebrated my lola's 70th Birthday. Yey!
My uncle-godfather, Ninong Jhon-Jhon who's in Singapore sponsored her birthday. It was only a simple family gathering that was held on my Ninong's place as well at Camella, Bulacan. It was a lovely and unforgettable day for me and for sure for lola too.
It's sad because the major sponsor and the brain of the celebration could not be with us. But thanks to skype and iphone, my Ninong had a little taste of what was happening on lola's birthday.
Aunt Lyn and Mommy Susan (my dad's sisters), took charge of the foods. Oh, how I wish I could share with you guys how awesome they cook! They could make a very good catering service!
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| Wrapped Rice, Fresh Bananas and Salad for dessert, Lumpia, Lengua, Fish Fillet, Kaldereta, Chicken Pastelle, White Pasta were only some of the foods prepared for Lola's Birthday |
My Ninong's girlfriend, Tita Steph, and lolo managed the reservations and arrangements of the tables and chairs and tent that was placed outside the house. My dad (Papa Otis) took charge of the red balloons.
While the kids, including me, made a little effort on putting up a greeting banner and a picture for our lola. How sweet! Thanks to laptop, photoshop and printer that made it possible up to the last minute!
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| We almost forgot to put a greeting banner or streamer for the birthdaycelebrator. But thanks to technologywe were still able to come-up with something creative. haha! |
My big brother Alvin showed his love by asking our little brother Lui to buy flowers at Dangwa and give it to our Lola a day before her birthday. Then, he, together with his girlfriend came up early with a Parvati Sugar-Free Cake they bought at Trinoma, only for our diabetic Lola. (I had a spoon of the cake and it tastes actually great, just a bit bitter because it's sugarless).
Very timely as it is, my little brother Lui won Res| Toe| Run's facebook Valentine's contest where they will choose only one entry. Participant must send a picture of who they want to celebrate Valentine's Day with and why. It served as his advance birthday gift to Nanay Neda, they had dinner at Chateau 1971 at Glorietta, Makati and a pair of fitflops sponsored by Res| Toe| Run.
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| Thanks Res|Toe|Run and Sir Dale for the accommodation! My brother and lola had an advanced birthday celebration! |
Don't you love it when you see members of your family cooperate to one another for a certain goal? It was like I saw production crews gearing up towards an upcoming Celebrity Birthday Bash! haha. |
| She has no choice but to look at the camera. haha! Nanay Neda is wearing a brown and white colored stripe see-through blouse on her birthday! How liberated. LOL! Ninong asked her to c hange her outfit when they were talking via Skype. It took her 3 wardrobes before coming up with this one. |
Later in the afternoon, everything was all set. And the first guests were the family of my Lola's elder sister, Ate Pansang with Kuya Rolly, her husband ( (we're used to call them that way) with their son Kuya Yuri and some of their grandchildren. It was nice to see the two original sisters reunited!
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| You can see Nanay Neda's (let), and Ate Pansang's (right) genuine smiles as they get reunited! |
More visitors and guests started coming as it gets late in the afternoon. Cousin Sheila and her family made it all the way down from Pandi Bulacan, uncles, and some invited friends of Aunt Lyn. Tita Lilia and her husband came dinner time too with a big box of Dolor's Kakanin. Cousin Gerald and his girlfriend Ate Orpha went straight from their work with a bucket of Chocolate-Chips flavored Ice Cream bought at S&R!
I could feel my Nanay Neda's joy as she's being greeted by her guests. She even became teary-eyed. Yes, she's a crying lola! I can feel that she's feeling it too, the overflowing LOVE! :)
Few hours before sunset, me and my cousins decided to play cards for an ice breaker! haha We played the most exciting card game for us, IN-BETWEEN! While Uncles had a little drink.
We all ended up so full and happy!
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| Time for photo opts! Oops? I was caught eating salad while they're all busy posing for the camera! lol |
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| Photo with the kids ! This is one of my favorite! So natural and very youthful! :) |
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| Of course the party will not end with a group picture! What a happy family! :) More photos were uploaded on my Tita Steph's Facebook Account. :) |
Reunions need not be elegant nor expensive. Sometimes, a reason and little efforts can make it a HUGE and extra-ordinary one.
Nothing can really beat reunions and close family ties. Only here in Philippines. I love you Manahan Family! You're simply the best! ♥
