First Gathering 2009
By Jay de Leon

The de Leon clan greeted the year 2009 both raucously with New Year parties as well as quietly with family lunches and get-togethers.

Grandma and Cris, Nancy and Leo de Leon decided to brave the traffic and the crowds and drove to Las Vegas, Nevada and party over the New Year holidays. They stayed at the Planet Hollywood, gambled, dined royally and met up with long-time friend and partner-in-crime Menchu Garma, now a resident of Las Vegas.

After New Year, several more holidays and sporting events occasioned trips and celebrations, including SuperBowl Sunday and Valentine’s Day. Cris and Martin and family also took a trip to Cancun, Mexico. Not to be outdone, Jay attended a Filipino Martial Arts seminar in nearby Anaheim, Orange County, California with friend and student Sam Sadler.

From Feb. 19 thru March 7, 2009, Jay’s Ateneo classmate, Manny Tiangha, took a trip to the Philippines. I have included a picture of his trip for the Philippine flavor.

Then there were the usual birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries and the like.  Birthday celebrants included the following:

Leo de Leon - Jan. 21
Kimmy – Feb. 1
Maria Arneson - Feb. 6
Marissa de Leon – Feb. 26

The first gathering of the clan for the 2009 took place at the usual venue on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at Tracey and Martin’s house in Granada Hills, in the San Fernando Valley in southern California.

As usual, food was plentiful, mostly from Rosie’s BBQ for this particular get-together.
Charn Rugprayoon also cooked Thai and Filipino food for the occasion. Grandma Pacita and all the siblings and the birthday celebrants made it. Guests who made it included Cris’s Maryknoll classmate Emilie Tiongson and Charn Rugprayoon’s golfing buddy Lek. There were the usual beautifully decorated birthday cakes and presents for the birthday celebrants.

Thanks to everyone for the food and the company, and to Tracey and Martin de Leon for hosting again.

On a final, sad note, we offer our condolences to Auntie Lee. Her sister Heidi died of pneumonia on March 12, 2009 at the young age of 40 years. Rest in peace, Heidi.

Until the next gathering.

New Year’s Celebration, Las Vegas, Nevada

Mr. & Mrs. Leo de Leon of Simi Valley, CA.

Nancy de Leon (left) and Cris Rugprayoon.

Cris Rugprayoon and favorite brother Leo de Leon.

Leo and Nancy de Leon, alias Al Capone and his moll.

Nancy de Leon (left) and Cris Rugprayoon.
The molls are getting rowdy now.

Grandma Pacita de Leon, Cris Rugprayoon and Menchu Garma.

Molls Gallery.  Cris Rugprayoon and Menchu Garma
(seated), Nancy de Leon  (standing)

Kimmy’s Birthday Celebration (Feb. 1)

Tabi, Kimmy, and Rachel with yummy birthday cake.

Kimmy celebrates with family and visiting relatives, including
aunties Lee and Judy.    Kimmy will not remember the names of
 many relatives for a while, but for now, she only remembers them
 as Dime Store Perfume, B.O. Plenty and Cheap Cigar Smell.

Kimmy at Maria’s living room.

Kimmy with Auntie Judy.  Kimmy wants   
her  balloon back now, Auntie Judy .

Kimmy arrives in style for her party
at Chuck E Cheese.

Rachel (left) and Tabi enjoy one of the rides at Chuck E Cheese.

And this is how the birthday girl enjoyed her party
at Chuck E Cheese.  Happy Birthday anyway, Kimmy. 

SuperBowl Week-end, Las Vegas, Nevada

Mr. & Mrs. Raoul Gatchalian, and Mr. & Mrs. Noel de la Rosa
attend the “Jersey Boys” show in Las Vegas, Nevada
during the SuperBowl weekend.

Maria Arneson’s Birthday Celebration (Feb. 6) 

Rachel presents her humongous birthday card.

Tabi presents her regular-sized birthday card.

Rachel and Tabi present little Kimmy.

The Arnesons visit Grandpa and Grandma Arneson
for a birthday lunch at their house.

Grandma Arneson wishes Maria Happy Birthday.

Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14)

It’s Cupid delivering gifts, balloons
and love unlimited.

 Maria with love child Rachel and flower child Tabi.

Maria and Brett Arneson celebrate Valentine’s Day
and their 16th wedding anniversary at Southpoint
Argentine Grill in the Valencia Town Center in Valencia,
   California.  Congratulations and we wish you many
more years of wedded bliss and flower children.

Trip to Cancun, Mexico (Feb.13-17)

With ex-Laker player Rick Fox, who was on the flight till
Phoenix for the NBA All-Star week-end .  Did you ask
him where Vanessa Williams was?

Obama’s daughters were also in Cancun?

Marissa, Tracey and Sabrina de Leon

Sabrina and Marissa de Leon

Cris poses by the picturesque poolside…

…but this is where she really spent most of her time,
and money.

Partying at the El Shrimp Bucket…

4 Filipino shrimps in the El Shrimp Bucket—
Tracey, Sabrina, Marissa and Martin de Leon.

For some local color—a cemetery.

Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) Seminar ( Feb. 21)

Jay de Leon (center) poses with two seminar instructors from the
Bahala Na arnis organization from Northern California.

Jay with more seminar participants. At the center is Michael Giron,
son of Bahala Na founder Grandmaster Leo Giron who drove from
Vallejo, California. The seminar was hosted by friends and FMA
guros John Brown from Utah and Blaise Loong of Anaheim.

February Gathering, Granada Hills, CA (Feb. 28)

The food came mostly from Rosie’s BBQ but
 included fish, okoy, etc.

Jeprox again.

Satay barbecue, compliments of
Charn Rugprayoon.

What is this healthy food doing here? 

Jay de Leon (right) with son Michael

The de Leons’ answer to Brad Pitt.

Rey de Leon and Cris Rugprayoon.
From Brad Pitt to this?

Grandma Pacita and #1 son Jay de Leon

Ken Rugprayoon and Maria Arneson

Brett Arneson and Kimmy.

Happy Birthday to you…Kimmy and Marissa de Leon (celebrants)
and Ken Rugprayoon (here just for the cake).

Rachel Arneson and Marissa de Leon.

Tabi and Rachel Arneson

Charn Rugprayoon, Martin de Leon and Erwin Narciso

Marissa shows offs the snowboard she got for her
 birthday just in time for the next snowboarding trip.

Rachel Arneson and Marissa de Leon pose at the backyard.

February celebrants Maria Arneson and
Kimmy enjoy the outdoors.

Michael and the kids play in the backyard.  It was a pretty,
 sunny day for a February. 

Manny Tiangha in the Philippines (Feb. 19 – Mar. 7)

Manny Tiangha at Susie’s Cuisine in Angeles, Pampanga,
Philippines.  The two pretty ladies are relatives of his wife, Manny
is the guy with glasses, and the guy in the blue shirt is Bert Gaskell,
our Ateneo classmate affectionately known as Beadle Bert,
who currently lives or just hangs out in Angeles, Pampanga.