Teacher Mama Chronicles

The 1st Homeschool Kids Fair!

2011-05-19T07:08:00.000+08:00

Get a chance to win any of these items:

Clifford Values CD from Scholastic
"Survivor's Guide to Homeschooling" by Luanne Shackelford
Homeschool Conference Lootbags
PLUS MORE!

All homeschool participants (art, science project or music performance) get one (1) Clifford Values CD on top of the certificate of participation!

Also, first 100 registrants/attendees get a free baller band at the entrance! Register with your kids now! See you there!

Finance & Entrepreneurship for the Youth!

2011-04-28T10:10:00.000+08:00

Looking for a great summer program for your teenage children? One of the best things they can learn about is money, finance, and business from the leading experts!

Blue Chip 2011: Financial Literacy Program for the Youth is a finance and entrepreneurship program that aims to help participants understand and grasp the basic principles of effective money management. Sponsored by the Registered Financial Planner Institute Phils (RFP), the event is on May 4 to 5, 8:30AM-5:00PM at the Victory Greenhills Center, located at the Upper Level of the Promenade Shopping Center in the Greenhills Commercial Center. This is open to young adults ages 13 to 20 years old, and participants may sign up for P2,500.

The Financial Literacy Program for the Youth will feature the following speakers:

Carlo Ople. Carlo is the country’s leading expert on New Media, Social Media Marketing, and On-Line Reputation Management. Carlo is currently the New Media Head of TV5. He has extensive Marketing experience from Level-Up & Friendster, and has successfully undertaken marketing campaigns for many top brands and companies.

Paulo Tibig. Paulo is the Entrep Champ! He is the CEO of V Cargo, one of the largest cargo companies in the country. Paulo started to earn money as a student, moved into employment, established their business, and became a certified millionaire before hitting 30 years old. Paulo is an entrepreneurship advocate, speaker for Go Negosyo and many programs, and one of the most in-demand business speakers of the country today.

Jaret Garcia. Jaret is a basketball player turned radio DJ turned businessman. Jaret is the president of his own printing and marketing services company, Polygraphics. He started in business during his teens, and has achieved many successful endeavors – and he is not even 30 years old yet! His company’s roster of clients include the leading brands today.

Jayson Lo. Jayson is a young businessman that God called to serve His people. Jayson has extensive experiences in Multi-Level Marketing, Direct Selling, and Food Business aside from being a popular trainer on business, money, leadership, and communication. A veteran in the speaking arena and business, he is now a pastor, and continues to teach values and success to the work place today.

Randell Tiongson is an advocate of Life & Personal Finance. He is one of the country’s preferred speaker and trainer in the area of personal finance and business. He is a director for the Registered Financial Planner Institute, columnist of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Moneysense Magazine, and a regular resource person for TV programs in the leading networks. He has given training lectures to leading corporations, public arenas, and even in the international scene.

To learn more about this event or to register, please call or send an SMS to 0939-1177856 (Smart) or 0927-9631376 (Globe). Look for Ms. Jenny Magalong or register at whiteboard.events@gmail.com or jcignacio@gmail.com. You may also visit www.randelltiongson.com

Knock-Knock Jokes with The Poliquit Kids

2011-04-21T13:20:00.001+08:00

Joaquin: "Knock, Knock!"

Me: "Who's there?"

Joaquin: "Obama."

Me: "Obama, who?"

Joaquin: "Oooo-baaaa-maaa-seeelf... Don't wanna be, ohh-baaa-maaa-self..."

(the kids just watched Charice's performance on Glee)

Hear her sing this song live, click here.

Sesame Street: Martians Telephone

2011-04-20T09:49:00.000+08:00

A classic clip from Sesame Street that the young and young at heart will enjoy!
(Yeah, I totally have been going "Yip yip yip" for the last half hour.)

The Family That Serves Together Stays Together

2011-03-30T07:42:00.000+08:00

From The Volunteer Diaries by guest blogger Gaans Deen

Have you met Gaby Poliquit? Chances are you have not, because this feisty little seven-year-old girl doesn't tower over the rest of us physically, being, after all, seven years old. However, in terms of expressing her heart for God in devoted service, this homeschooler readily stands ten feet tall.

Gaby is the daughter of Victory Greenhills' Technical Support Ministry volunteers Dennis and Monica Poliquit. Dennis, who is more popularly known as Magic 89.9's Big Daddy Jake, is a Wednesday stage manager and big brother figure to many of Wednesday's tech volunteers; Monica, a full-time mom who home-schools Gaby and two - not one, but two - sets of twins, often handles the Keynote (Powerpoint) presentations while her husband stands guard over the worship service's stage setup.

And little seven-year-old Gaby? She mans the headsets that helps her father communicate with her mother. As Stage Manager 3 - an informal title reserved especially for the little girl - she stands by, ready to take orders from either of her parents to communicate with volunteers at the lobby, or musicians backstage, or simply fetch an item or two immediately needed by a pastor or church member. She'll inform the musicians when they have to go onstage; she'll also knock on a backstage door in case the preaching pastor finishes early and the musician assigned to play background music is unaware that he needs to start playing.

All these, little Gaby accomplishes with a shy but ready smile. Watch her while she mans a headset while nibbling on a chocolate bar, or observe her lift a hand in worship while her mother follows the worship team on the church's Macbook Pro. This little girl lives and breathes her joy for God, all the while never losing her innocent "little-girl" appeal. To a seasoned volunteer, it warms the heart; to a Christian father, it brings tears to his eyes.

On Wednesdays when the Poliquits are on duty, together with other serving families, like husband-wife team Bleau and Moppet Aquino (he takes photos; she heads the usher team) or Jaret and Sheryl Garcia (he stage manages; she mans Keynote), or Jason and Lysa San Agustin (he stage manages; she heads the ushers team); or Jun and Sally Gomez (she leads worship; he plays keyboards for his rocker missus), the Music Museum comes alive with the joy of familial trust. Husbands trust wives; parents trust children; everyone trusts God to get them through a worship service that positively teems with the love that comes with serving God in a volunteer capacity. When families serve God together, it unites them in a bond that is not easily broken.

When I look at little Gaby - who turns the ripe old age of 8 in July - I know in my heart that the next generation will be fine. When families raise the their children to honor God in their homes, in their schools, at their workplaces, and in their hearts, how can we doubt that God will deliver a certain and sure future of the next generation?

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Tim 4:12 (NIV 1984)

-----

The Volunteer Diaries is the online volunteer management journal of Ganns Deen, Victory Greenhills Worship Services Coordinator. For comments and suggestions, please email ganns@gannsdeen.com.

"Mommy Talks" with Mommy Chris

2011-03-17T10:38:00.000+08:00

Awesomely blessed to be featured on one of my favorite blogs!

The Mommy Journey is one of the first Filipino blogs that I followed, and it was such a happy moment to finally meet blogger Mommy Chris at last year's Homeschool Conference. Her site was also nominated for last year's Filipino Blog Awards for Best Home & Parenting Blog!

This week, my family and I are featured in "Mommy Talk," where you get to read about the unique journeys of other moms as they raise their families.

Do check out The Mommy Journey, a great site on parenting, homeschooling, and motherhood!

Homeschool Special on Smart Parenting!

2011-03-11T11:34:00.001+08:00

We were blessed to be featured in this month's issue of Smart Parenting, along with fellow homeschoolers Edric and Joy Mendoza, Bambi Lazaro, Chame Abbey, Irma Chua, Rita Yokingco, and Gerry Arcosino.

Here's a sneak peak at our spread:

Pick up a copy of Smart Parenting's March 2011 issue to find out more about Homeschooling!

How Jaime learned how to add/subtract

2011-03-03T17:40:00.000+08:00

My son Jaime has a different learning style from his siblings. A very animated boy with an active imagination, he learns best by touching, feeling, experiencing. When taught through these avenues, Jaime remembers the learning concepts well.

So I was ~~frustrated~~ challenged one day when teaching Jaime how to add +1 or +2. I mean, how simple is it to add 1 using the number line?? Yeah, Jaime couldn't get it.

So here's how we solved that problem. I took a chalk and started writing on our stairs 1-10. Then I had Jaime stand on a particular number. If I said "plus one," he took one step up. If I said "plus two," he took two steps up. We repeated this process until he was able to answer his "plus one/two" questions without having to climb stairs, but by visualizing/imagining he was climbing the stairs.

Jaime liked his lesson that day. I was just tired of climbing up and down the stairs with him! (Yes, I know, I need exercise)

Date Nights with my Husband

2011-02-14T16:09:00.000+08:00

It's Valentines Day, and as I type this, I'm getting ready to go out on my third dinner date with my husband this week. To top it off, all our dates have been blessings to us (i.e. we don't pay for them/they're for free!).

Dating your spouse doesn't have to be limited to special occasions such as Valentines Day or anniversaries. Dennis and I try to go out once a week just to spend time with each other. It may be a movie, a lunch date, or just walking-in-the-mall-with-matching-holding-hands *sobrangcheesy*.

Spending time with each other, away from everyday activities, is crucial for any married couple. It helps us remember that time when it was just the two of us-- no kids, no bills, no work, no responsibilities, no worries. Remember those *kilig* moments? Talking about absolutely nothing? Truly enjoying each other's company? Those are the times we try to bring back when we go out on date nights.

He's the other half of our married heart :)

But it does take hard work. Having to carve out time from a busy schedule, or turning down some commitments just to hang out with your spouse is difficult in today's hectic life. It takes a lot of effort to plan the best Valentines date, so why not give the same effort every week? Give it a try! I doubt if there are people who would take it against you when your reason for not going to a meeting is, "I want to spend time with the love of my life."

It's funny that our kids get jealous sometimes when they see us going out, but we assure them that we'll take them out on individual dates too.

So enjoy this day of hearts with your spouse, and hopefully, it does not end today. Make everyday Valentines Day!

Join us at the Wealth Summit!

2011-01-20T09:49:00.000+08:00

There are no shortcuts to wealth. Learn the power to create, keep and grow your money by attending this Wealth Summit on January 29, 2010, Saturday from 10 am to 7pm at the Megatrade Hall of the SM Megamall. This valuable learning program will feature the country’s leading experts:

Cito Beltran on Strategic Thinking; Phil. Star Columnist; leading corporate consultant

Chinkee Tan on Money Mindsets; Money Coach; best-selling author

Paulo Tibig on Entrepreneurship; CEO of VCargo; Entrepreneurship Champion

Randell Tiongson on Personal Finance; Director of the Registered Financial Planner Institute, columnist; trainer

Miriam Quiambao on Wealth Strategies; Successful real estate practitioner

To learn more about this event, please get in touch with Ms. Jen Magalong at 0939-1177856 or email at jcignacio.magalong@gmail.com.

(if you see me, say "Hi!")

The Messy Business of Potty Training!

2011-01-18T07:57:00.000+08:00

My twin girls, Jessica and Sophia, are now two years old, and thus begins the messy adventure that comes with this age -- toilet training!

Now, there are many ways and many opinions on how to potty train your children. If you want to read up on them, you can browse through these articles from Smart Parenting -- here, here, and here.

But let me share how we're teaching the girls to use the potty. Mind you, this isn't my own "recipe." I give all the credit to my wonderful Yaya Susan.

We started our toilet training when we saw that the girls can do simple tasks when we tell them to (pack away, sit down, etc.) This was roughly when they were 18 months old.

First, we don't use the small potty seats. For me, it's just plain gross. Instead, we use the potty training seat that you plop on top of your toilet. We use this for three reasons:

1. At least we get to flush everything away. (Washing the small potty seats, again, is just gross).

2. It encourages the kids to be familiar with the big throne. Papa and Mama uses it, so the kids can use it too.

3. It encourages the kids to vocalize what they're feeling, and to properly identify their urges when they feel it ("wee-wee," "poo-poo").

Next, we have them wear panties when they're in the house. Diapers are to be used during sleeping time (naps, nighttime) or when going out. This is great because we get to cut down on our diaper budget (yay!), and buy cute panties for the girls. We bought panties with their favorite characters in them -- Dora, Disney Princess, Carebears, etc. (For those with boys, there are pretty awesome brief designs too!) This encourages them to be excited when wearing their underwear. Sure, we get lots of messy accidents, but it comes with the training period.

For those times, we try to make light of it and have fun, not reprimanding the child for the mess she made. In fact, we give lots of encouragements if they are able to identify what they've done ("Mama, wee-wee," pointing to a puddle around her feet. "Good job! That is wee-wee!").

And here's the crucial part... we have them sit down on the toilet often -- before and after meals, before and after naps/sleep, almost every hour. It starts when we change their soiled diapers in the morning. We find that this technique teaches the kids to be aware of the muscles they're pulling when sitting in the toilet. A morning sitting also encourages good bowel movement for the all important "Number 2." We also call out the name of the deed when they're actually doing it. We sing songs in the bathroom, and talk them through the process.

Now, I'm sure each family has their own potty training routine that works perfectly for them, and this technique is what works for my family. Right now, the girls are very much familiar with their bathroom callings. They tell us when they need to go "wee-wee," and their nappies are dry after short naps. I'm proud of Sophia and Jessica for this milestone as they grow up to be "Big Girls!"

For someone special

2011-01-06T07:49:00.000+08:00

To my best friend,

the most amazing man I know,

the one who makes me laugh, angry, cry, and love,

my partner, my husband,

I love you so much!

(ps. you don't look a day over 23!)

"Humbled by a Child" by Mark Ezekiel

2011-01-04T12:15:00.000+08:00

I've been recounting all the things happen to me this past 11 months and 30 days. My victories and defeats, my adventures and misadventures, my travels and stays and all lessons that are learned and applied. But just recently I experience one big thing from a small child that I could say the very thing I was looking for an answer myself.

I would like you to meet Gabby, the very cute little daughter of my two amazing friends Ate Monica and Kuya Dennis. She is their eldest daughter and somehow we had a similarity (although technically I'm not the eldest).Last Wednesday in Teatrino at Greenhills Promenade she helped her mom volunteer in our last Wednesday service in church. Amazingly she handled her position very well.

Read the rest of this article here: http://devotedartist.blogspot.com/2010/12/humbled-by-child.html

Gaby's Generous Heart

2011-01-03T07:10:00.000+08:00

There were three instances this holiday season that showed Gaby's amazing heart.

The first was when we were picking toys from her collection to add to our Christmas Shoe Box donation. Gaby gave a pink Barbie doll, but this wasn't her first choice. The first toy she chose to give away was an expensive, ornate Barbie doll with butterfly wings which she had wished for the longest time. But I stopped her, and said that she might want to keep it for her sisters to play with when they're older, and the doll was an expensive gift from her godmother. So Gaby settled on giving a simpler Barbie doll which she received last year.

The second instance was during the Christmas Party held for students in our homeschool community. After the exchanging of gifts game, Gaby went up to her Papa empty handed. She explained that her friend complained that she didn't like the gift she got. So my daughter gave her gift to her friend.

The third instance was when we watched a concert by the new guy from Glee, Darren Criss. Best known for his cover of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" in the hit show, the half-Filipino was in Trinoma for a mall show a few weeks ago. But Gaby knows Darren Criss from watching the popular YouTube videos "A Very Musical Potter," in which he starred as Harry Potter in the musical parody. During our meet and greet, I asked Darren if he could pose with Gaby's Gryffindor scarf. He gamely agreed, and I was later surprised to see Gaby give Darren her scarf.

Now I know some people would shake their heads and raise their eyebrows at Gaby's actions, and I must confess I did too. I mean, come on...

Giving away an expensive Barbie doll? She can give another doll that is of lesser value, but still in good working condition.
Giving her Christmas gift away? Her friend must be a spoiled brat not to appreciate what she got. Why take someone else's gift?
Giving away a scarf that you can't get here in the Phils? Especially to someone you just met for one minute, lives halfway across the world, will probably won't remember you later on, and most likely has the same scarf you gave?

Here are some words that echoed in my head after each incident:

"Di nag-isip ng mabuti. Na-uto siya. Sayang lang."

So what was Gaby thinking when she did all those?

To this, she has a simple answer: "Because I wanted to."

"But why?" I asked.

"Because it made me happy," she said.

IT MADE HER HAPPY TO GIVE.

My 7 year old daughter's heart swelled with happiness when she gave her Christmas present.

IT MADE HER HAPPY TO MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY.

Even if it means giving something that she valued in order to put a smile on someone's face.

I realized that what bothered me about Gaby's actions wasn't the naivete of her young mind, but rather my selfish nature to keep what's best for myself. Gaby gave what she had without expecting something in return.

A lot of people may scoff at these instances as actions of an innocent child, and expect the parents to teach their child how to value their things. But the Bible says to give generously, sacrificially. Should I really hinder my child's giving heart? Especially during this holiday season where gifts are weighed by their price tag, giving something sacrificially is seen as ridiculous.

Deuteronomy 15:10 (NIV)

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

I am truly humbled by my daughter's actions, and it has taught me to see the world just like she does -- with childlike faith. And because of her actions, we proudly gave Gaby her Christmas present a few days early -- she finally has a cellphone of her own :)

Thankful for 2010! Bring on 2011!

2010-12-31T14:55:00.001+08:00

What a year it has been! I look back at my organizer, and noticed that God has blessed me and my family each month! I cannot emphasize how much my spiritual life, homeschooling, and marriage has grown within a year, and I am truly humbled and grateful for it :)

In 2010, I am thankful for:
1. Gadgets and gizmos a plenty -- a computer! a camera! a car! and something to bug the neighbors with!
2. Two of our yayas left us, but we gained new additions to the family... and they're awesome!
3. Vacations! -- We went to Boracay twice! First with the entire Ortiz clan, and later as a second honeymoon trip :)
4. Homeschooling! -- Tuition is paid for, materials bought, homeschooling days are good and bad, but it's all worth it :) Bonus points for being able to spread the word about homeschooling through various forms of media: internet, TV, radio, conferences, and magazine. All this in just two years!
5. Leaps and bounds in spiritual life/church ministry -- I am co-leading a small group?! Awesome :) And I'm proud to be part of the Victory Greenhills Wednesday Tech Team! Our church is growing, and we'll be moving to a new venue next year!
6. Numerous dates with Dennis and the family -- outings, concerts, movies, and dinners!
7. The entire Ortiz, Beltran, and Poliquit clan, and all our friends -- 'coz they are all kinds of fun and awesome! Supportive, funny, and always there when you need them :)
8. My children -- making me laugh each day, they continue to grow up smart, alert, talented, and healthy kids who love God. And I have five?! How blessed can I get?
9. The love of my life --my best friend, partner, sobrang kulit, huggable, and pogi husband, Dennis-- for the continued growth in our marriage. Here's to more date nights!
10. My God, for the little moments each day that tells me how much he loves me, and I in turn, love him back :)

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT GOD HAS IN STORE FOR ME IN 2011!

(anyone notice how many exclamation points I used?)

Wishing You A Blessed Holiday Season!

2010-12-25T09:38:00.000+08:00

A Look Back at My Blog's Designs... and a giveaway!

2010-12-15T13:05:00.001+08:00

Hi! Did I mention that I changed the look of my blog? Oh, but I'm sure you've noticed.

I started blogging during our first year of homeschooling. It was on another host site, and can still be found here. This is what my first blog looked like.

This year, I decided to take my blog seriously. It was also the year we started with a new homeschool group. Thus I changed sites and had a whole new look.

But I wanted another design and found this cute layout from Nymphont. So I decided to test it out.

But will I keep this look? Not sure. I'm still feeling it out.

What I really want for Christmas is my own look for my blog -- a custom blog design. Luckily, April Showers Blog Design has a design giveaway! I've been a fan of April's designs and secretly wish I can afford a custom blog made by her for months. But if you want to make your own look, you can also sign up for one of her workshops, and learn more about creating your own graphics and blog design! Drop by her site to check out her awesome portfolio, rates, freebies section, and workshops. Contest ends on Dec. 17, 2010.

Big Boys!

2010-12-08T06:53:00.000+08:00

They're Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, Superman and Batman, Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. But they'll always be my boys!

Movie Review: Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2010-12-02T12:00:00.000+08:00

Pretty blessed to watch the premiere of "Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader" last night with the hubby and the kids. It was one of my must-see movies of the year, and the perfect film to start off the holiday season.

The movie sees Edmund and Lucy Pevensie brought back to the magical world of Narnia, along with their cousin Eustace Scrubb. There they meet up with Prince Caspian and swashbuckling Reepicheep onboard the Dawn Treader, Narnia's finest ship. Together, their faith is tested as they voyage uncharted waters to save Narnia from a mysterious green mist.

It was great to see the Pevensie kids again (watch out for great cameos by Susan and Peter, too!), and Caspian stretches his sea legs to become a true leader and king. The casting for Eustace was perfect, as I imagined him to be as annoying as the books. And Reepicheep is so cute, we'd like to take him home and adopt him!

But the movie's highlight is its well-loved character -- Aslan's return is a welcoming sight, like seeing an old friend again. And his words speak volumes, especially his last talk with Lucy. That touched and warmed my heart, and gave me a smile like you've just been told a really cool secret.

The kids loved watching it in 3D, and Joaquin even won a prize that night!

Catch "Chonicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader" as it hits Philippine cinemas next week, Dec. 8. A must-see holiday movie for the whole family!

BRB (Be Right Back)

2010-11-25T16:31:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since I've blogged. With Christmas season around the corner, my schedule will be packed with lots of activities. I do hope to find the time to sit down and organize my thoughts, and I've got loads of ideas to share. But until then, here is a list of things I'll be occupied with:

Homeschooling! I really need to organize Gaby's grades.
Christmas shopping. I've finally got the budget and go signal from my husband to shop for this year's Christmas gifts. This includes running around town to find the perfect gift, wrapping them up, and (for this year) doing some hand-crafted items. Hope everyone will like 'em!
Editorial work. That means encoding and proof-reading. For two companies. I'm going all cross-eyed.
Christmas parties. Maybe this isn't so bad... the food is always good! And the company too :)
Running the household. The usual stuff -- cooking lunches for my hubby, chores, entertaining my twin girls.
Collecting my thoughts to blog!

I hope to be done with my checklist soon!

"A Rat" (short story by Joaquin)

2010-11-16T20:02:00.000+08:00

It was quite a surprise for the family when we stumbled upon this little gem by our almost-6-year-old Joaquin. Here's a scan and transcript of his short story.

A RAT

One day I went to Express Store. I went beside it. Then I saw a rat! I gasped. I said "Is that real?" Then I figured out it was fake.

The End.

Ode to a Puzzle

2010-11-14T08:20:00.000+08:00

Last weekend, Gaby and I stumbled upon a garage sale in a village. We dropped by just to look if there were some bargain books we could buy, but ended up taking home a 1000 piece puzzle for the family to enjoy for a steal price of P40!

What started out as a family project became my own personal project. Alas, the kids were not as interested in putting the puzzle together as I expected. I suppose the art work might be too complicated for them than I thought. So I ended up fixing the puzzle myself. Kuya JR (my yaya's son) helped me too. And after three days, the puzzle was finished!

The finished product!

But the worst thing that could happen to a puzzle happened

-- a piece gone missing!

ACK! Where are you, missing piece?!?

So, with a heavy heart, I had to dismantle my masterpiece...

Dear puzzle, 'till the next time... *sniff*

Yikes! It's a Sore Eyes Epidemic!

2010-11-13T13:23:00.001+08:00

A cough or cold, I can handle, but viral diseases such as measles and chicken pox are a bane for any family, especially big, happy ones like ours where the kids miss each other if they don't see their siblings for half a day. And yet, this week, we were hit with the sore eyes epidemic.

It started when one of our yayas came home from the province. Quite new and shy, she was "nahihiya" to divulge her condition and came back. To cut the story short, Joaquin was our first victim. Two days later, his twin brother Jaime caught it. And another two days after, our 2 year old Jessica proudly showed off her pink eye (she must think it's cool that she's just like her kuyas). Today, Gaby has caught the virus.

But what is sore eyes?

Also known as "pink eyes," it is the inflammation of the thin covering of the eyeball and the inner eyelid. The medical term for it is conjunctivitis, and there are three types: viral, bacterial, and allergic. The most common is the viral infection and may be highly contagious.

This does not mean, however, that you can get the virus just by looking into the eyes of an infected person! (so old school). Sore eyes can spread through hand contact -- contaminated hand to eye contact, or touching of eyes with hands which got into contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.

So, how do you prevent sore eyes? Easy-- Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water!

What do you do if you have sore eyes? Here are some pointers from the Department of Health:

1. Frequently wash hands with soap and water.

2. Do not touch your eyes and face without washing your hands.

3. Do not share towels, eyeglasses/shades and make up.

4. Use clean tissue to remove discharge from eyes and wash hands afterwards. Dispose used tissue in garbage bins.

5. Warm compress may be helpful to relieve discomfort and remove "crust" (muta).

6. Use antibiotic or antiviral medication only upon prescription by the doctor .

7. If drops or an ointment is prescribed, the applicator tip and infected eye must never come in contact with each other.

8. Disinfect surfaces, doorknobs, counters, elevator buttons, hand rails with dilute bleach solution.

9. Clothes, towels, pillow cases and anything else which may have come in contact with an infected person should be washed.

10. Especially for persons with sore eyes with runny nose or cough, stay in a separate room or away from other family members or co-workers.

Thankfully, our kids are on their way to recovery. Praying that the virus won't spread to Sophia and the rest of the household. Still, the experience gave the kids an excuse to wear their shades, and sometimes pretend they're Cyclops from X-Men.

Happy 2nd Birthday Jessica and Sophia!

2010-11-05T08:13:00.000+08:00

To our youngest set of twins --- Jessica, the spunky firecracker, and Sophia, the sweet girlie-girl.

Trick or Treat 2010

2010-11-03T14:33:00.000+08:00

Still tired from three days worth of Trick or Treating! Our candy jars are full to the brim. But the kids had loads of fun! Check out their costumes this year.

TRICK OR TREAT #1: Village trick or treat

After 6 years, a dream come true!
Jaime as Ron Weasley, Joaquin as Harry Potter,
and Gaby as Hermione Granger

Jessica as Pink Fairy Princess and Sophie as Pumpkin Princess

TRICK OR TREAT #2: Nestle Philippines, Rockwell

Jaime as Darth Vader, Gaby as R2D2,
and Joaquin as Luke Skywalker

TRICK OR TREAT #3: Kids Church @ Victory Greenhills

I join in the fun!
Jaime as Superman, Teacher Mama as Marie the cat,
Joaquin as Batman and Gaby as Supergirl