jengspeaks

Rosemary Baked Chicken with Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 08:05:00 +0000

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving and even though it is not customary here to celebrate Thanksgiving, I thought of cooking something that would make us feel like it's Thanksgiving here. Also it is a testimony of the many things I am thankful for, especially as it was a challenging year for us. I am thankful that somehow we have survived quite a difficult year and we are looking forward to much, much better years ahead of us. It is really true that no matter what the circumstances, we always have something to be thankful for.

This is Rosemary Baked Chicken with Vegetables. The recipe was from McCormick's Rosemary Baked Chicken with Potatoes which I tweaked a bit. Also I opted for vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers and carrots. I also made Buttered Marble Potatoes to go with this (not seen much on this picture).

I am thinking about doing this yearly and next time I will be inviting family and friends because one of the most important things to be thankful for is the love from family and friends.

Practicing to be More Self-Confident

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 03:06:00 +0000

When I was in high school and college, I was kind of insecure because of my being overweight. I have this school of thought that designer clothes, branded shoes and accessories would make me more attractive and popular. But as I mature and met really good friends who would look past my physical attributes, I have learned that self-confidence is what makes people attractive. Most people would want to be surrounded by other people who do not doubt themselves or has a defeated attitude. Also now that I have a family of my own, I realized that self-confidence is needed to commit to earning a living and providing for the family. Since this is a prerequisite to success, how can you practice to have this trait?

Draw positive feedback. Focus on the positive things you do, the daily successes you achieve and be proud of them. Build on the things that you have accomplished such as finishing a major task, having a job, or just finishing up your to-do list.

Step up your game. Having trained your mind to building up on your everyday achievements does not mean that you have to stop from there. It will not hurt to always try to go up to the next level. Shoot for a higher reward. If you are an employee, try to get promoted. If you are a student, try to excel and get an award. It is such a heady feeling to be able to conquer the obstacles that have come your way. This encourages you to go on and do not give up.

Gain confidence from obstacles. You have to look at life as a challenge because these challenges make life worth living. Make the crises in your life stepping stones not in terms of making more money or being more attractive, but also in conquering your own fears. Pretty soon, this process of setting a goal, overcoming challenges and never quitting until you have achieved that goal will be established in your mind and will help you boost your self-confidence.

Starting Your Own Food Cart

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:26:00 +0000

The food cart business has become very popular because of its low capital requirements and its variety in specializing all sorts of fast food cuisine. Whether it is dim sum, noodles or local refreshments, you can only be limited by your imagination. Although food carts are less mobile than food trucks, they present as a very good low-cost opportunity to enter the fast food market. If you know of great finger foods or mobile foods, one effective way of marketing it is through a food cart. If you are planning to embark on a food cart business, these helpful tips may help you to start your own food cart.

Scout for a good space. Appraise space requirements by knowing building zone and business regulations that may dictate what will be the design of your food cart. Depending on where you will operate, for example inside a mall, near schools, or in the supermarket, your food cart should not only be attractive but also meet the specified requirements set by the building's owner. Avoid wasting money by paying particular attention to the space and design requirements.

Form and function. You can choose different kinds of materials to build your food cart from. However, you must take into consideration the restrictions set by the building's owner, the products you will be selling and the preparation involved in the day-to-day operation of your food cart. For example, if you will be having a dim sum food cart, this will involve a lot of reheating and food cart constructed from stainless steel will do the job.

Construction and assembly. After you have gathered the necessary requirements and restrictions and finalized the design, it is time to construct your food cart. It is important to make sure that it is sturdy and all parts fit together. You do not want accidents to happen and you definitely do not want your food cart to fall apart, so put it together in such a way that it is built to last.

Repertory Philippines' The Wizard of Oz

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 17:39:00 +0000

Last Monday during Joaqui's school field trip, we had a chance to watch Repertory Philippines' stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz at Onstage Theater in Greenbelt. It was not our little boy's first time to watch a stage play and he was excited to watch and see the actors in their costumes.

The Wizard of Oz is Repertory Philippines Children's Theater's 20th Anniversary offering and true to its mission to captivate the young audiences, we were transported to the wonderful land of Oz. The set with its visual effects and the actors in their colorful and intricate costumes evoked a storybook atmosphere. The lyrics and melody of the songs were simple, light and bouncy. Many children nowadays are not quite familiar with the story of The Wizard of Oz and Repertory Philippines' adaptation of the story was straightforward and adhered to the original spirit of the book. The actors were brilliant, especially those who played Dorothy and The Wicked Witch of the West. Surprisingly, the wicked witch was Joaqui's favorite. I also liked the fact that it included a game of charades where the audience have to guess the lead characters of the musical being acted out by the Winged Monkeys.

We were not able to take pictures inside the theater as cameras are not allowed. Overall it was a pleasant theater experience for adults and kids alike. Now I am looking forward to Repertory Philippines' next musical which is Disney's Camp Rock The Musical set on November 16 to December 16.

a sink full of dirty dishes

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 15:20:00 +0000

Since I have become a work-at-home mom and have been living on our own, I do all of the household chores except for the laundry and ironing. So when I met up with some of my mommy friends, Jacq and I had a chat about doing household chores and I mentioned about washing the dishes even at 1 a.m. She was bewildered and it is simply because I can't stand a sink full of dirty dishes, pots and pans. So no matter how tired I am at night, I will not go to sleep without washing those and keeping the sink and kitchen spick and span. Hubby helps me during the weekends and when my mom stays with us, she does the dish washing. But what they don't know is that after they have done washing, I still clean the sink. It's one of the things I'm OC about. I'm sure all of us have one or few things as our pet peeves, and mine is the sink and the kitchen. It is not that I am not happy with their job, it is just that I am not at ease when somebody else washes our dishes.

Another thing I'm OC about is the bathroom. Cleaning the bathroom is therapeutic for me. When I have a lot going in my mind, I clean the bathroom. Sometimes when I am sad or depressed, I clean the whole house! I am no domestic goddess, but I like to put negative energy into good use. And now I realized that it is no use for us to get house help because I have already established a personal system of doing household chores on my own. Besides, it is an advantage to live in a small space. Our condo unit is easy to maintain because I surely don't have a large space to take care of. The challenge is keeping everything neat and organized because of the limited space we have.

I wish that being a work-at-home mom means spending a little time in front of the computer, watching TV or movie, cooking leisurely and sleeping early, but I can't pretend and it's not even close to that. Working from home meeting deadlines, taking care of a very energetic 5-year-old boy and keeping my husband happy are some things that I have managed quite well through the years. I am not complaining and in fact I am thankful that I am able to do all of these without having to go out of the house to work. It's just that I can't stand a dirty sink--it's one thing I will definitely always be OC about.

Jollibee Kids Club Cosplay Funday

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 05:18:00 +0000

Halloween costume play was early for us since we joined the Jollibee Kids Club Cosplay Funday last October 14 at the SM North Sky Dome. My sister-in-law was one of the organizers and so we had free tickets. While choosing Joaqui's costume, he initially wanted a T-Rex costume where we found one at SM Department Store. Unfortunately the only available size was small and even though we went through other dinosaur costumes, the size was just too small for Joaqui. When I saw a pirate costume and asked Joaqui if he would like to wear it for the cosplay, he immediately agreed. The pirate costume came with a hat and the pants had a boots-like end so that when the shoes are covered, it really looks like the child is wearing boots.

To complete his pirate get-up, I purchased a pirate sword and eye patch. I really liked the costume we bought because it was not that expensive and it was quite comfortable to wear. Joaqui really enjoyed being a pirate, wanting to be like Captain Hook looking for his treasure.

The Jollibee Kids Club Cosplay Funday event was a big hit. My sister-in-law did not expect that the number of participants would be that many. It was also my first time to really participate in a Jollibee event where we would watch the program. From the previous years, we would come late and not join the games, etc. And I thought I was a stage mom until I saw the other moms who would really push their kids to join games and carrying them up the stage! And the other costumes, especially the girls, were outrageous. Well I guess that is how most moms are I think. They would really go the extra mile to make their children stand out.

The event was fun and Joaqui had a great time, even joining the parade around the Sky Dome area. In the past when he used to like Superman, he would wear the Superman costume almost everyday. Now I think he has a new favorite costume. Arrrr!

looking forward

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 11:32:00 +0000

Today is the day before Christmas and I am filled with hope that next year will be a much better year for us. I am looking forward to 2012 because that is the year that we will be almost debt free. Yes, one of our major loans will be finished by December 2012 and we are doing the best we can to keep our financial status intact. 2011 has been a difficult year financially because of the economic regression, the U.S. recession and the calamities our country has encountered, and to be able to look forward to 2012 gives me hope.

Next year we will also be considering decisions with regard to our financial status, like there might be ways where we can cut off on our bills including credit card payments. We have been doing great and only using our credit cards for emergency purposes or much needed items that we need to buy. Since we are of very good credit standing, credit card companies are offering us balance transfer credit cards, which would allow us to transfer our balance from our existing credit card to a new one, at a much lower interest rate. I think it is a good enough deal to minimize our credit card debt.

I have been reading a lot of articles about money management and doing analysis on how we can pay off our debt early. I am very hopeful that it will not take long. We are working very hard and doing our best not to waste our hard-earned money and be on the road to financial freedom. Even though Christmastime means having to spend on so much, we were still able to stay within our budget and what I am really proud of was that we were still able to give to the victims of typhoon Sendong in Mindanao. And I think that is the true meaning of Christmas.

what little boys are made of

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 08:25:00 +0000

Even though little boys are made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails, they can be the sweetest at the same time. My heart was filled with joy just the other day during one of my conversations with our son. He was standing on the bed as I was helping him get dressed when he clasped my face with his hands and told me, "Mommy, you are very beautiful!" I smiled (actually I grinned ear to ear) and said, "Thank you!" Then he added, "You're pretty!" I replied, "Awww...thank you, you're very sweet!" He was silent for a while and said, "You're also very nice and I love you always!" This time I hugged him tight and told him, "I love you always and forever."

I realized that he may be up to hundreds of roguishness each day and sometimes drives me crazy, yet at the end of each day he is a very sweet little boy and my heart just overflows with love for him.

E

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:12:00 +0000

My mind is blank of what to contribute for today's letter. You see, my son's school lesson is about the letter E and we are studying words that starts with letter E, so I can only think of preschool E words like elephant, engine, eyes, ears and eggplant.

Now why don't I share with you some unusual words beginning with E....

eigne - first born
emetology - study of vomiting
enosimania - pathological belief that one has sinned
eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious - good
ebriection - mental breakdown from too much drinking
encomic - having closely curled hair
epeolatry - worship of words
ergophobia - fear of work
exspuition - spitting
eudaemonism - ethical belief that happiness equals morality

I hope to educate my readers with these E words. Now I'm done and have an eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious day!

This is my entry for ABC Wednesday.

D for Dinosaur

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:20:00 +0000

My son has been preoccupied with Dinosaurs after watching this film. It is about an orphaned dinosaur who is raised by lemurs who then joins an arduous journey to the nesting grounds after a meteorite shower destroys his family home. His favorite dinosaur here is the T-Rex, and so since then, my days are quite filled with questions about Dinosaurs.

Did you know that.....

The word dinosaur comes from the Greek language and means ‘terrible lizard’. The word was coined by English paleontologist Richard Owen in 1842 and was meant to refer to dinosaur's impressive size rather than their scary appearance.

Dinosaurs lived and evolved for over 185 million years until they became extinct. The cause has not been proven yet, but many believe that an asteroid Over 9 miles wide hit the earth in the Gulf of Mexico.

For almost 90 years, T-Rex was the largest known predator to have ever walked on the Earth. It was not until Giganotosaurus was discovered in Argentina in the 1990s that T-Rex was beat by a larger discovered predator. Tyrannosaurus was one of the last Dinosaurs to die out.

Birds descended from a type of dinosaurs known as theropods.

Source: Fun Dinosaur Facts for Kids

I'm also looking forward to read to him this book about dinosaurs....
Image source: amazon.com

This is my entry for ABC Wednesday

Mommy Moments - Superhero

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:13:00 +0000

I remember the first time Joaqui wore a super hero costume which was Robin of Batman and Robin. It was his first time to attend a super hero costume birthday party and at that time, he had no idea what a super hero is.

When he saw the movie Superman on HBO, he was hooked. He started to pretend he was Superman and asked that we buy him a toy Superman and then a Superman costume. So last year during their school's Family Day with a theme about heroes, he was no less than....

He used to wear this costume all the time, even when playing outside our unit. The people here in our condo area calls him Superman because he is always seen with the red cape on. He used to watch the Superman DVD everyday and his favorite was the helicopter scene. He has watched Superman 1-5 for countless number of times. He knew the main characters from Lois Lane to Mr. Perry White. It came to a point that when someone asked what his name was, he would reply "Clark Kent" and even asked me to buy him a pair of glasses and he wanted a hairstyle like Superman with the curly hair on the front!

This Superman phase lasted for quite a long time, and it slowly faded to be replaced only by Dinosaurs.

Click on the badge to read more about kids and super heroes.

B for Bagyo and C for Childhood

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:47:00 +0000

Bagyo means typhoon or storm in Filipino and since the letter for ABC Wednesday is now in letter C, I just thought it would befitting to associate childhood to bagyo or typhoon.

Last week we have encountered the 6th tropical cyclone for the month of July alone and when heavy rains pour, it can only mean one thing among students....no school!

I saw this boy playing in the rain and reminded me of my childhood days, which also led me to put this poem here:

It would be good to give much thought, before
you try to find words for something so lost,
for those long childhood afternoons you knew
that vanished so completely -and why?

We're still reminded-: sometimes by a rain,
but we can no longer say what it means;
life was never again so filled with meeting,
with reunion and with passing on

as back then, when nothing happened to us
except what happens to things and creatures:
we lived their world as something human,
and became filled to the brim with figures.

And became as lonely as a shepherd
and as overburdened by vast distances,
and summoned and stirred as from far away,
and slowly, like a long new thread,
introduced into that picture-sequence
where now having to go on bewilders us.

Childhood by Rainer Maria Rilke

This is my entry for ABC Wednesday.

Mommy Moments - Family Trips

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 08:22:00 +0000

We have had quite a few family trips and this one was not our last, but it seems to be the most memorable for Joaqui right now because he keeps on telling us that we should go back here. This was during the 16th Hot Air Balloon Festival in Pampanga where we also celebrated our 5th Wedding Anniversary.

We stayed at The Oasis Hotel. It was a quaint cozy hotel and we enjoyed our stay.

Joaqui's chillax position...a proof that he really liked it there.

After watching the early morning take off of the hot air balloons, we spent the rest of the day watching flying airplanes and helicopters, kites up in the air and just relaxing on the lawn.

We're looking forward to more family trips like this soon. Join us at Mommy Moments.

A is for amusing

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:37:00 +0000

Seeing little children in food costumes is really amusing. This is our second time to participate in our preschooler's nutrition month program and every time I look at this picture, I am sometimes amazed on how far my creativity can take me in making a food costume.

If you have seen my previous post, you'll probably know what kind of food he is. It's actually his favorite....frozen yogurt. Enjoy!

This is my entry for ABC Wednesday Round 9.

our froyo boy

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 15:16:00 +0000

If you have a preschooler here in the Philippines, you may very well know that July is Nutrition Month, the time when our little tots will don on costumes from the different food groups. Joaqui's school had their Nutrition Month culminating program last Friday and since he is now in kindergarten, he is supposed to wear a costume from the Grow Food group. Last year he was a pizza from the Go Food group. I thought about what food he will be and decided on him being a frozen yogurt. His school encourages parents to make their own costume and this is what I have come up with.

I'm happy with the outcome and he looks really cute as a frozen yogurt boy. I never really thought that I could make a costume like this. I don't consider myself creative, but I guess when it comes to your own child, a mother's creativity will naturally come out.

a penny for your stocks

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 09:34:00 +0000

I have noticed that lines for those buying lottery tickets get longer and longer. Well, who would not be enticed to try their luck on the lottery when the prize money is so huge. People who buy lottery tickets are just waiting for their luck to strike and winning in the lottery is one of the easiest ways to get rich. Another way which seems easy is trading stocks. When I read about this, I thought that it is so hard to understand and such a big risk to undertake until a friend explained it to me. She got started in this endeavor by self-learning and she said that if I just read about these penny stocks, I would be able to learn the ropes of it, too. She is now earning from her stocks and all those money she initially spent on DVD guides totally worked out for her. Isn't it amazing?

My insurance policy segregates a portion of my premium payment for the company's investment called a flexifund and so far, so good. I have acquired a small amount of money from the insurance company's investment, but I guess if I get into trading stocks, it would be all a different story anyhow. They said that it's a big risk to take, but money will not grow if you just put it in a bank. There are now a wide array of options for those who wish to invest and I'm studying my options regarding that route. My friend who got into trading stocks said that at first it was really difficult, but when she developed her own strategy on how to trade, she got the hang of it. It is not a bed of roses for her and there were quite a few times that she lost, but her overall experience with stock trading is a pleasant one so far.

money management tool

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:43:00 +0000

I admit that I do not have the talent and the skills when it comes to money management, but I am trying and learning how to do it properly and stress free. I am always in the look out for tools that I could use in budgeting and managing our finances successfully. Thankfully, I am almost in the right track, especially in paying for our loans and credit card payments.

I know many people are in debt because of the different loans and mortgages that they have to pay. Although the process of applying for a loan is different here than in the U.S., it still pays to do your homework when it comes to the right kind of loan and the terms and combinations that applies for one's financial capabilities. Luckily here we do not make use of a credit report score, but it is always wise to analyze your cash flow versus the loans and credits you will be able to handle. In the U.S., people there can readily know their capacity of applying for a loan through a free credit report score, which will also let them know where they stand financially. Wouldn't it be helpful if somebody does the analysis for us and we are given the unbiased facts on mortgages, credit loans and debt to income ratio? These things about finances look difficult to understand, but if we spend the time to learn them and make decisions based on the data and information that we gather, I think a lot of people would think twice before making that credit card purchase or applying for another loan. Money is not everything, but if we make it work for us, then an inefficient money management will just be a thing of the past.

the winning smile

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:34:00 +0000

This was our entry for SM City Taytay's Backpack of Smiles contest and we won 1st Place out of the 200 who submitted their photos. I was really happy because this contest was not based on Facebook likes alone, although it is 25% of the total criteria. I gave it the title "Monkeying around with my Monkey Backpack and Monkey Lunch Bag." I am so proud of Joaqui for having that winning smile. : )

the dream home

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:52:00 +0000

Since video chat is available now in Facebook, I can't wait to chat with my friends from the U.S. whom I have not seen for a long time. I'm excited about one of my friends who recently got married and now his wife is pregnant with their first child. I never really thought that he would settle down because I've known him as a very happy-go-lucky kind of guy. He now lives in Los Angeles and currently looking for a bigger house. In one of his e-mails to me, he said that they have searched a lot of walnut houses for sale, but they have not yet found the one they really want. It reminded me of the time we were looking for our own place. There were a lot of considerations in choosing a new house or a new home. It would really depend on the family's priorities and of course, the financial capability of the future owners. He asked me for some advice and I told him that searching for their dream home is not an impossible task. They should keep in mind the qualities of a house that they are looking for. A trusted real estate agent would be of great help. Finally, I told him to try not to look at every house for sale. He could make a list of the areas where he would want to search, the price range, property criteria, etc. Well I do hope that my advice has helped him. Now I have to figure out this video chat from Facebook and soon enough my friend and I would share his experiences in his search for their dream home.

Mommy Moments - Parks

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 05:09:00 +0000

I love going to parks, but unfortunately there are not too many good parks to go to here in Manila. I like looking at the lush greenery, smelling the fresh air and just enjoying the natural surroundings when we go to a park.

This picture was taken when we went to Nuvali in Laguna. I don't know if it counts as a park, but it is open for the public. Air is fresh and the surroundings are clean. It is one of my favorite places to go to.

This was Joaqui's first trip to a park, which was in La Mesa Ecopark.

This was in Quezon City Memorial Circle. We went there past 6 p.m. already, but still Joaqui and his cousin were able to play in their huge playground. We even rented a bicycle and the three of us went around the bike trail. I like going to the circle also because there are a lot of things you can do, plus the huge playground is a fun thing for the kids.

I hope that there would be more parks to go to, especially in the midst of high-rise buildings and condominiums. It would let our children appreciate nature more. For more of this week's theme, just click on the badge above.

Happy Mommy Moments!

marketplace for odd jobs

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:12:00 +0000

All of us one way or another have been through bazaars to buy something that we have been looking for, but what if there is a bazaar for odd jobs? Wouldn't it be great if you could post a job, like cleaning your house, for a certain price and actually get the job done? Well, luckily Zaarly can do that for you - it is a collection of marketplaces in a particular area where people can post for the service they want while others browse for the job that appeals to them. Teaching your child math, fix a broken pipe, build a custom cabinet - these are just some of the jobs you can post after you sign up for the service. If the price you are willing to pay for a completion of a job appeals to someone within your local area, then all they have to do is contact you and get the work done.

Zaarly is actually a platform that connects buyers and sellers because it allows direct communication with buyers and sellers but still maintain a certain anonymity. It has a secure application with their payment processing partners, so you do not give out pertinent personal information to strangers.

Just as with other business transactions, good judgment and common sense are two very important things to keep in mind. Make sure to go over the Zaarly marketplace rules to have an enjoyable experience in a buyer-powered market.

drinking from a glass

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:50:00 +0000

This was one thing I forget to blog about and that is because I posted it on Facebook first. Anyway, I'm very proud to say that we've said goodbye to milk bottles and Joaqui is now drinking his milk from a glass. I was hesitant at first to let him drink milk from the glass because I was worried that he might not drink milk anymore. Thankfully, he liked it and now he's drinking milk from the glass all by himself.

This also prompted me to teach Joaqui to eat by himself using a spoon and a fork. At first it was quite difficult because it was messy, but after a few tries, he got the hang of it. Now I even send him rice and viand as his lunch for school. I think more than me being proud of him, I think he is also proud of himself for doing these things by himself. Makes him feel like a really big boy now.

a sane business advice

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:14:00 +0000

Last year my friend and I thought of putting up an online store. She will provide me with the merchandise from the U.S. and we will be selling it here. I had to research what products are more likely to sell online and came up with baby clothes, women's apparel, bags, etc. It was tedious at first, especially designing the website and uploading pictures, putting the prices and sorting them out. Since it is an online business, we need a reliable merchant account provider. There are many merchant accounts out there, but we had to find one that will cater to our business' needs. Good thing I found out about Free Merchant Account Advisor and it only took me 3 minutes to answer an online interview and I got the answers and advice I needed. What's best about it is it's for free!

I know that Paypal is a very popular merchant account provider and with the Free Merchant Account Advisor, I learned about other Paypal Alternative which could also be used in our online business. And now we are looking into an option to accept credit cards so that our customers will have an option to pay thru credit card. We were hesitant at first, but after a thorough research of the credit card processing companies offering credit card processing services, we are finally on our wary to making an online credit card processing. I really do hope that this will work out for us. With the financial crisis going on right now, it definitely helps to have an added source of income and I would definitely have to thank the internet for giving us the opportunity to have one. Now, that is a sane business advice.

first day in kindergarten

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:25:00 +0000

I think this blog hibernated for a week. It's because last week Joaqui started Kindergarten and I had to adjust my schedule, prepare the things he needed for school and ease him into going to school again. You see, my son is not that excited to go back to school again...hehehehe. Anyway, I had to label and cover his books and notebooks (yes, they already have 5 notebooks, 1 for each subject--can you believe it?), prepare art materials, personal box, fill up student information sheets, etc. Thankfully now he's kind of settled in our routine.

I took a lot of pictures last year when he started Nursery and I made a photo book from Artscow. Now I'm planning to do another photo book at the end of this school year, so I'm taking more pictures starting with his first day of school.

Before going to school:

Inside his new classroom. Parents and guardians were allowed during the first day. Joaqui seems to be talking to his new classmate here. It's only the first day and he's already being talkative. : )

Joaqui has matured since last year. I have a feeling he will do well again this year.

Mommy Moments - I am a Daddy!

noreply@blogger.com (jeng) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 07:53:00 +0000

After our wedding, hubby and I at first decided that we would not have children until after a year of our marriage. This was to give us both time to enjoy the first year of our lives as a married couple. But once while inside the sauna after a gym workout, I had spoken to a woman who said that we should try to conceive as early as possible because what if there was a possibility that it would be difficult for us to have children? She said it's better to know now than later. It had me thinking, and so Mother's Day of 2006 was a very special day because the pregnancy test kit showed a positive result. Hubby was elated and he was very supportive, always accompanying me to doctor's visits and took care of me after I gave birth via C-section. He was a very hands-on Dad and I must admit that I've learned a lot from him. He was even the one who taught me how to carry our baby properly! Up until now, he is still very hands-on with taking care of Joaqui, and an affectionate Dad to our little boy.

I'm glad to share my Daddy Story today at Mommy Moments. Read more of wonderful daddies here.