12 days since Christmas

This blog post was initially written on 01/07 but failed to post as an insta story. Each line comes with a photo/video. So imagine that in your head as you are reading this.

Relatives can be good, but they can shiv. Shiv real good.

12 days since Christmas ..

Where do I even begin 😳

In this exhibit, we see a Sheena after a night of heavy drinking with cousins, aunts and uncles.

We then bid our goodbyes to the keeper of our ancestral home in Don Carlos.

• thanks tita ven, tito ato and RJ!

One of the many family photos in this entire story 🥴

And a sibling photo

Pinamaloy Lake is a staple for the Damasco-Talatala family since I was in elementary. So we had to introduce this place to the niece and baby nephew.

In particular order:

Papa Cris Mama Mayco Sheena Mayer Jayko Merkko Umi Isha

And a visit to the cemetery visit to Anpa George and Anma Willie.

You gotta heart it. Christmas in Don Carlos has never been the same since anma died. But the legacy lives on.

And by legacy, en route back to Malaybalay, the mandatory stopover for choco milk 🥴🍫🥛

Only to get heartbroken for the nth amount of time because it’s ALWAYS SOLD OUT!

But at least you packed an egg to survive the next 30min drive..

But wait a minute ya alls this is also a mandatory stop so hunger must wait 🤭

• (and yet another family photo)

And finally food to eat! 😂

Was so hungry didn’t bother taking a mandatory flat lay 📸 but many thanks to Apple for allowing me to pay via Gcash 😌 (gotta love fintech!)

And of course, December 26 is always a Lui Azura birthday — been attending (and drinking their alcohol😂) since we were in high school!

^17

And today we arrive at December 27.

Also known as Gubat-Pimentel grand family reunion day.

• (logo from a reunion leaflet we found from 19-forgotten 🤣)

It was raining pretty hard!! But this pretty cake survived a flight from Manila so we gotta push on 😅

And Tito Thorax brought balloon makers, and brother Jayko printed a tarpaulin, so there is no turning back you guys! And tita Astra flew her entire family to Mindanao!

And the kinilaw is here! HOW CAN YOU SAY NO TO THAT!

OR THAT 🤭

And just about 4PM, we had to check the campsite we booked for the young ones, but these roads had a different plan. CAMPING CANCELLED!

So we went back to our beautiful venue in Casisang.

And it was one of the best decisions of the day!

Because in-laws shared a Fundador together. 🤣

Kids made a mess per usual 😂😅🤣

Each member of the 11 Gubat-Pimentel siblings had to present their children on stage 😶‍🌫️😶‍🌫️

..and the younger generation were way too shy🫥

But our generation definitely knows no shy 🤣🤣😂

Simbako gyud atong generation haha

And to cap the reunion’s festivities, we had a heartwarming game from the OGs, the Pimentel siblings!!h of “Who dated who?” & “Kinsa nanglungkab sa pirtahan para mulaag?? Haha!”

Xia was legit confused what was happening lol

And just very happy to be surrounded by family (both the Talatala and Pimentel side) who know how to have fun and dance!!! 🕺🕺

And understands the power of BH 😂 (remember what BH means guys? Lmao)

And Tito Bimoy always knows what our clan needs after a whole day of drinking. Haha. PAHUWAS! 🐓

BUT AS OF THIS WRITING? I can’t even tell if Pimentel’s Kin at home feels home. The elders died and so did camaraderie within the family. :(