This is Me: Our Family Reunion @ D' One Resort and Restaurant

When you started to grow old and had finally established your own family, there was always this yearning of going back to where you all started. Suddenly you feel like you started missing everything about your childhood. The people you grew up with and the places you made lasting memories.

This is exactly the reason why I am so excited for this family event that took place last weekend. I think I am not the only one excited but also my children who were all eager to meet their long lost cousins in the not-remote anymore area of Baras, Rizal.

Yes, this is the place where my maternal grandmother grew up. I always have fondest memories of this place as a child.

Baras, Rizal used to be a simple farm place with few houses. I love their old church as well as their very clean river and beautiful mountains. As a child, I am always looking forward on diving at "Bilog Lalim" every time we visit the place for fiestas. Or trekking at the mountains and trying to persuade our elders to allow us to enter a tunnel built during the Japanese era in between mountains. Which of course they would not allowed. Giving excuses that the tunnel is full of snakes and ghosts.

Now, the very small simple municipality in this part of Rizal has changed a lot! I was amazed by the many resorts and restaurants occupying the place. Indeed, development has conquer this beautiful place just like other nearby towns of Rizal.

D' One Resorts and Restaurants is the venue for our big clan reunion. It was our cousins from Baras who scouted for the venue. I think they are frequent customers of this resort based on many facebook posted made by their mom. My youngest daughter tried to search for the place in google to have an early assessment of what we are about to expect. There are good and bad reviews so we are a little bit worried we might not totally enjoy the place. But after a few hours drive from Manila this is what we find in the place.

Panda!

Oh, if cousin Ana can only bring this home!

This made the day for my dear cousin who loves collecting Panda. She was brainstorming on how she can bring this home :)

D'One Ballroom

Youngest daughter Alyssa jokingly said, she had changed her mind and is now considering to have a debut party. Asking me if we can have it here.

The Metro Deal Post

the generation y in their IG post called "The Metro Deal Post". Don't ask me why because I don't either know the answer.

May Isang Bibe akong Nakita!

Ang Babae sa Ilalim ng Puno ng Balete!

Actually I am not sure if this is a Balete Tree. But hey, let's play a game. Can you spot an image within the tree? Can you please share what you see?

The Gorilla n Gorillas!

Feeling like we are in SG :)

Cinderella and Her Carousel!

and this exactly what I felt... suddenly I wanted to dress-up to really feel like Cinderella in her carousel!

The Fairy Godmother and the Cinderella Wannabees!

ready to try the shoes but where's the prince???

The Whatta Pose!

my teen lady is enjoying every pose she can

The Garden!

The Nipa Huts!

These are the cottages for those who are not availing for private pool in the resort.

The Main Swimming Pool Area!

The common swimming pool area

Karaoke and Dining Area!

Since we are the early birds we decided to spent the time of waiting by singing at the Karaoke while alternately messaging our companions to hurry up as Karaoke was already running out of songs from their playlist :)

The Private Pool!

And since we cannot grab the microphone from these trying hard divas, we decided to just make our own poses in the private pool.

The Tita Ninang and Her Inaanaks!

and who's the fairest of them all?

shoulder 1...2...3 ???

cast your vote!

Someone is making pahabol!

Team Martinez in her models, models, models....

And another one!

Team Millorin!

Prayer Time before Meal

Finally, some of our cousins arrived and we lost no time in starting to prepare for lunch.

We started it with a prayer before meal.

The Elders

This is the core of the Digma clan. Purisima, Robles and Talampas family.

Wait! Picture...picture... do not eat first

Oh mother dear made her own pose. She said it's her birthday even though her birthday was in August!

The Lechon and the Photo Bomber Finger!

I wonder why almost everybody were going gagas every time lechon is serve in the dinner table?

Mechado!

Veggie with Quail Eggs

Adobo!

Fish fillet!

Lengua!

Pancit Malabon!

Pancit Bihon!

After lunch, while the kids are having a good time at the pool and seemed to be unmindful of what is going on in the place. We decided to have some photo souvenirs.

The Elders of the Digma Clan!

The Lucas Family!

The Ramirez Family

The Talampas Family

The Austria Family!

The Purisima Family!

The Santiago Family!

The Robles Family!

The Generation X boys!

The Generation Y and Z girls!

The Generation Y and Z boys!

Digma Clan!

Swimming, swimming, swimming!!!

The Generation X decided to play group games!

Others tried to make chit chat!

...and some smiles to the camera!

This is an occasion I would definitely cherish the rest of my life.

I am proud of my heritage!

Well, it would not hurt if we look back to our past. After all, this part of our lives is what makes of who we are right now. So while we still have the energy and the memories to recall where we all came from let us all cherished these memories.