Thanksgiving "Thank You and Appreciation" Notes

After Thanksgiving day, the grandchildren with their parents stayed at home until Saturday morning before they left for Utah. Perry stayed as well the whole day Saturday until his early evening flight back to Los Angeles.

To our surprise, we found these "thank you and appreciation" notes posted in our bedroom mirror.

2009 Thanksgiving Reunion

The Rivera clan met in Las Vegas, NV for Thanksgiving reunion. It was attended by families coming from Hawaii, Australia, California, Utah and Las Vegas. We had a very special attendee from the Philippines, Elena Tuano, our first cousin, who happened to be in Las Vegas and graciously accepted the invitation to join us (representing the Philippines).

Unable to come were Bert & Jojie (Houston, TX), Noel & Glo (San Diego, CA), Romy & Ellie (San Jose, CA), Lewis & Lily (San Jose, CA), Nellie (San Jose, CA).

Though the Rushes came late and unable to meet the others for Thanksgiving, Cherry & Greg met the Buncab and others at the Venetian Hotel where the parties were booked. The Rivera Hotel was fully booked by the Rivera, Smoot and Rush families with total occupancy of 15.

Kaylie Rush (Cherry & Greg) and Megan Smoot (Charmaine & Brad Smoot) at the Venetian water display.

Kaylie Rush and Megan Smoot on the way down to the Venetian water display.

Pierre Rivera (son of Crispin & Norma) with all the kids at the Venetian Hotel suite.

Cousins Lani & Cherry with their husbands Mike Buncab & Greg Rush

Loren, Elena, Norma (with one of the twins), Crispin and Ate Leah standing at the back. Picture taken at our house.

Charmaine (Crispin & Norma's daughter) and Brad Smoot sitting at the couch with the Buncab girl. The girl in stripe is Elizabeth Buncab.

The Rushes and Smoots while waiting at the Palazzo Garden area.

The kids while in the Venetian Hotel room.

Cherry and Lani with some kids while at the Venetian hotel suite.

Braden Smoot and Jonah Buncab, new found relative and friend.

The twins, Charmaine Smoot, Elena Tuano, and Norma while at home.

The twins, Norma Rivera and Ate Leah Relloso-Rivera.

Flor Rivera (wife of Oliver, son of Loren) and daughter.

Elena Tuano and Sikong Filomeno, Jr.

Atlantis trip in Nassau, Bahamas

We have been planning to get together with Norma's counsin and husband, Macrina and Ramon Labitigan, for quite sometime. Originally planned in Las Vegas and outlying areas for travel, we ended up going to Nassau, Bahamas.

We left Las Vegas late night of November 13 for a Jet Blue 4-hour flight to JFK airport in New York where we were met at the airport by the Labitigans and some other friends. All of us took the same plane that brought us to Atlantis Hotel in Nassau, Bahamas. The ride was very comfortable. Jet Blue has more leg-room than other airlines I have used before. The 3-hour flight landed us around 1:00pm (same time as NYC).

The days that followed brought us enjoyable time with plenty of food and entertainment.

We were fed by our new-found friends with local cuisine and lots of entertainment. The following days were mostly outdoors to explore the surroundings.


The cousins were joined by Ramon, Marcrina's husband. The hotel at the background was where we booked for 3 days.

Hotel lobby going to the aquarium. It was nicely decorated. A place where you can relax and watch people come and go in different outfits, different sizes.

One of the beautiful walks you can take as you wander around the area behind the hotel facing the Atlantic ocean.







After exploring the surroundings of the hotel, the next stop was at the beach.

The party enjoing the sun and white beach.

Cousins Macrina and Norma updating each other while enjoying the cool ocean breeze.

The ladies stop for a second to get some rest and picture taken on the way back to the hotel.






It was time to relax and have some fun! A local costume was fitted to everyone and pictures taken at the last day.

Before we left for the day, we posed one more time at the veranda of our hosts, where a beautiful garden is blooming.


And as our departure quickly comes, we had the chance to get a picture of the whole group including our hospitable hosts, Lilet and Benjie Capuli with their son, after an afternoon dinner by the beach.

The trip was superb and we surely hope this was just a beginning of more to come.

Toronto, Canada Trip

Norma in Quebec enjoying the beautiful European style surrounding.

The whole group when we were at Montreal. The structure at the background was the Olympic coliseum where most of the games were held.


Belen (from Las Vegas), Annie, our host in Toronto and Norma while in Kingston.