HAPPY BIRTHDAY CELINE!

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What a wonderful birthday celebration!

Today we celebrated Celine’s birthday; her “love” Ruben treated us to lunch at Vikings, it being still the best buffet in BF. 

The Sweet Magnolias, miss you, TESS. 

The great partners. 

We were whisked in immediately upon arrival, we just had time for a photo or two with the early birds. 

Whether one is sweet 16 or in the fabulous golden 50’s, these birthdays are worth celebrating. Today, we captured the essence of Celine’s birthday in our photos, laughter, fun and glorious food! 

Blowing candles on the cake is traditional. Did you notice that the candles increase every year until you can’t put out all of them in one blow?  For sure children love the added candles; but do we like more candles in our advanced age?  

And then the wish!  As a young child we wish for toys or gadgets; but as we age our wishes graduate to non-material things like good health, success in chosen career, peace and harmony in and outside the home, freedom, security and safety, equal treatment, respect and others not related to money. 

Except for good health, I wonder what else would Celine wish for; material things are within her grasp. She is happy everyday, so I guess we will never know. Birthday wishes are secret after all, never to be divulged lest they won’t come true. 

I’ve known Celine earlier on; but in the few weeks that I walked with her everyday, I found her very pleasant to be with. She’s funny, has a great sense of humor; she even dramatizes with humor things that we talk about that we couldn’t stop laughing. She’s so “kalog”. 

On the serious side, she is even tempered, very religious and God fearing. She is active in church activities and leads the choir; her voice is sweet, smooth and musical, so pleasing. 

This is her”love” whom she often salutes and says: “yes sir “. 

Notice the junior Magnolia. “Are you tita Tess”, she asked me.  I said “no, Tess is the pretty one, remember her beautiful home?  I’m tita Rita.”, I replied. 

Celine, your birthday party was so much fun; inli food, unli laughter, unli sharing, unli jokes, unli photos; unli catching up, truly unli everything. 

Many thanks for your party favors, interesting party loot. I love the cheeses, partillas and the sweet rambutan. All are yummy! And thank you for the wonderful lunch. 

May your birthday week of celebrations be happy and joyful. Keep the birthdays coming! 

CELEBRATING ANNIE’S BIRTHDAY WITH A MODERN-DAY INDOOR LUAU

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They say that if you have nothing but a loving sister, then you are richer than you know. My sister is 12 years younger but the years balanced off the difference. Our pledge to each other: 

“No ifs, ands or buts, as sure as it can be, nothing will ever break us apart”.

Won’t that make you feel secure? Or you wish you have a sister? 

We celebrated Annie’s birthday with a Hawaiian themed party. Oh, nothing like the traditional outdoor luau with fire dancers and certainly not the Kuala pig roasted underground. Instead we had the best lechon in town, Elar’s. 

The clan gathered in all kinds of improvised outfits in keeping with the theme. The food served are the traditional party favorites, lots of catching up, plenty of laughter and countless photos. 

Multicolored garlands were being offered at the door for anyone to grab and wear. Everywhere I looked was party ready; flowers and plants were subtly placed and balloons in different colors adorned the handrails of the banister; but the welcome balloons that decked the entrance lured us back outside for more photos. 

I brought a hibiscus imitation similar to mine for Annie but she was already wearing a blue and white plumeria beneath her right ear. Mimicking a Hawaiian tradition I wore the flower behind my left ear to show that I’m taken. Wearing it on the opposite signifies that one is single and maybe looking for love. Is my sister looking for love? Are you Annie? 

The party started to swing when the cousins, nieces, nephews and grandchildren arrived almost simultaneously and the party came to life. 

Annie set the appetizers on the kitchen island leaving a space fot the Aboy’s Lumpia soon to arrive as well as the karekare and chicken teriyaki to be served hot. 

The charcuterie board was picture perfect like in the pages of a magazine. 

Spam skewers, very Hawaiian! 

Here’s another Hawaiian fare, the pineapple towering over slices of fruits. 

I overlook taking a photo of the whole spread after the hot meals were placed. Except for the cake I missed taking a photo of the leche flan and the buko pandan salad. 

The highlight of the party was the best in costume contest. 

Children category winner is Sciezka 

And Xia as runner up

Consolation prize, Miggy

Men’s category winner is Troy, Maggie’s plus one

Women’s winner is Maggie

Runner up is Amy

Soon the cake was brought out for candle

blowing 

Catching up continued over coffee and dessert and more photos were taken. 

Jokes and laughter continued,  then plans for the next reunion began to form and the date was set. 

It was great being with you guys, getting together with you all was so much fun. Until the next party. Love you all!