My homeschool blog,  ChristianHomeschooler.info is now live! I have been asking Jeff for a good one month, to find me good combining words for a homeschool blog. I went to check with AdWords and believe me, I still can’t seem to figure out how they work. It wasn’t until I sat the hubby down and worked on his laptop last Tuesday night, did he get to focus to finally get me a the perfect name for a homeschool blog. 

This is actually a sweet distraction from the still many things we have to take care of after what Ondoy has brought us. A couple of months since and we are still on our way to getting a few documents we need replaced. After turning the house around and finding term life insurance quotes alongside other important documents displaced and misplaced by the flood waters, we are getting each one replaced one at a time. The local government can be frustrating when it comes to these things.  It takes a lot of time and effort.   

I will be promoting the Christian Homeschooler blog very soon.

We counted three years into our marriage before our son came. One thing my husband and I were set on right from the time we learned we were pregnant was to start right as we parent our child. This is why I have tried to be at my best health ever even from gestation. I made sure there were no missed appointments and we completed our preparation for childbirth classes for Lamaze/Bradley. We even enrolled ourselves in child care classes. There was no way we were leaving parenting to chance. Needless to say, we were really thrilled to welcome our son when he arrived in May 2005.

Even before I gave birth, I was keen on exclusively breastfeeding him and then later have him on a brown rice diet, aside from making sure we don’t miss immunization appointments. These were the least that we could do to make sure our son stays healthy.

with our days old son, Jed

When our son was ready for semi-solid foods, I made a mistake of introducing instant baby foods to him at first. The convenience is there, true. But I can only be grateful enough that we were able to shift to brown rice which I dutifully grind first before cooking until he was ready for solids. I bought a grinder especially for this purpose. Our son easily adjusted to the taste of naturally cooked brown rice, vegetables and fruits. No need for instant cereals or what nots.

Why brown rice, you might ask. Polished rice means that a major percentage of B vitamins are destroyed and that includes 80% of Vitamin B1, 67% of Vitamin B3, 90% of B6, 50% Manganese, 50% Phosphorus, 60% Iron, aside from the benefits of fiber that can only be found in unpolished rice. Although it was a tad more tedious to prepare than giving the regular instant baby cereal, there was no way I’m withholding my son the benefit of eating brown rice. Brown rice has to be soaked in the water it will be boiled in for at least 30 minutes. Nothing instant, I tell you. 

cooked unpolished brown rice

It wasn’t until 2008 that my little guy contracted primary complex. There was really no way that my love alone and dedication would keep him safe from acquiring diseases in our environment. This includes the free radicals in our environment that seem to be multipling by the second. I have got to make sure that he has solid immunity. I completely took for granted to supplement Vitamin C in his diet.  It was then that I introduced Ceelin chewables and he loved it instantly.

Jeff and our healthy 4 year old lil guy

As healthy as unpolished brown rice is, it contains no Vitamin C and this I had to make sure is properly supplemented to keep my son’s immunity in its tip top shape from then on. Motherhood has allowed me to venture into things that I never thought that the shift from my sassy life as a single person would give me. There is not one thing that I regret from having to leave the corporate world to working from home while being the primary influencer of my son. There were trials and errors along the way. But mostly, I am glad that I had the privilege to tread this path that not everyone is privileged to enjoy thoroughly. Finding out what’s best and being able to act upon  it, never leaving things to chance and seeing our son thriving to be a young and healthy individual,  can be the most fulfilling career of all time.

Our little guy is seriously working on his Christmas wishlist.  But I have an inkling what’s going to top his list is something that he has had since he learned to say the word “car” when he was 9 months old.  These cars and auto accessories toys were from his second birthday.  I was sincerely hoping he would like something else.

After so many weeks of putting it off, my homeschool blog is finally live! It’s barely a couple of days old and I’m not about to share the link just yet. Allow me to work on its content first.

Ever since late June, I have toyed with the idea of putting up a Homeschool Blog. I figured, homeschooling is taking up a bulk of my weekday mornings, then might as well blog about the random activities we do as me and my son do our homeschool routine.  But because I was yet to get the hang of it, a brand new blog will add to the stress.  Less than five months down the homeschooling road, I am now so thrilled to have my brand new baby blog.  We so love homeschooling that getting some few snippets of our everyday classes documented, seeing how my four year old is doing better and better each day, academically and otherwise affirms our stand to homeschool him. Despite the odds. 

Admittedly, this homeschool blog is one of the major reasons why I haven’t gone back to working out. I am extremely busy, like you’ll never know. (Excuses!) I know! And with the sumptuous meals I get served during events, I might as well use some Stimerex ES. I have been trying to keep my meals a couple on days that I attend events.  I feel I’m going to balloon up to an uncomfortable weight before Christmas comes if I don’t watch it.

Last week was an extremely busy day for me. The little guy had to sleep over at my folks thrice.  That means I went home late at least three times last week. As much as the grannies love this little guy of ours, there is just something about him being with them that when he comes back home, it’s like he’s totally a different kid! Like seriously.  It could also be that he is most likely to have his way with his grannies than otherwise.  My folks see the effect and after a while they back off from spoiling him.  

My son is very resilient, like I believe most kids are.  I talk with him heart to heart and he is usually back to his old self again. Here he is seriously playing this highly addictive Plants vs. Zombies.  If at all, I only allow him to play one round and that’s it.  When 

I just found out that at my folks’ place, they cannot get him to stop playing at all!  The horror of horrors can happen when adults allow kids to spend unlimited time playing on the computer and my folks now realizes that, I hope.  They love being with their only grandson, but they have got to be the ones in command, not this little guy.  It was like he changed overnight from a boy who loves his remote control cars, train trucks and tinkering with his many miniature cars and Ferrari parts to someone who is zombified and glued to the computer. 

Autism Hearts Philippines will lead global efforts in the prevention and treatment of autism early next year by hosting the first-ever International Autism Conference (IAC) in Pasay City.

Medical experts around the world, as well as foreign dignitaries and advocacy groups dedicated to helping families and children afflicted with ASD are all invited to participate in the meaningful event slated on February 3-5 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

“Concerned individuals including health practitioners and teachers from all over the world will find their participation greatly beneficial as the conference will also highlight the launching of Autism Institute of Asia, a locally based “one-stop-shop” for children with ASD and the New York-based autism advocacy group Autism Speaks’ Global Autism Public Health Initiative in the Philippines (GAPH), which is dedicated to service delivery and research collaboration on Autism,” said Christine Roa, executive director of Autism Hearts Philippines, Inc.

The conference will present the most current research, knowledge, information, diagnosis, assessment, treatments and policies surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in support of people under the spectrum and their families.

Among the presenters are leading experts from the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND), an international, multidisciplinary research organization based in Sacramento, California.

Roa said that through this initiative, the Philippines would also have the opportunity to tell the world about the initiatives being undertaken by both the government and the private sector. It would also help highlight the close-knit family values that Fiipinos espouse.

“The conference would most importantly reinforce the thought that all of us, wherever we are in the world, can do our share in helping individuals with autism optimize their full potential and become productive members of the society,” added Roa.

Autism Hearts Philippines is the local affiliate of Autism Hearts Foundation, a US-based private group that funds organizations that provide direct services, family, support grants, education, research, treatment, advocacy, and recreational opportunities, sees the urgent need to reach out to international communities to promote awareness about and gather support for Autism.

Join the International Autism Conference at the Philippine International Convention Center on February 3-5, 2010. Please visit www.autismhearts.com for more information on the International Autism Conference.

We’re one musical family, even our son could carry a tune before he even turned a year old and even play around with songs and give them different endings and the songs still wouldn’t sound off. We’re actually hoping to enroll him in a music class where he can nurture this talent. My husband has always had these bionic ears for music. He also plays the guitar, drums and keyboards, while I love to sing. Although he could be a perfectionist of sorts, a little pitch higher or lower and he’ll give me the eye.

We love that the MTV and Department of Tourism collaboration has come up with MTV Emerge. MTV Emerge is such a neat platform that allows unsigned music talents in the Philippines to strut their stuff and be given the opportunity to be given a one year recording contract with Jeepney Music. All unsigned music talent are encouraged to participate by uploading their profiles, photos and original music on the MTV Emerge site during the contest submission period. Apl.de.Ap will be one of the judges come November 20. Seven winners will be chosen and will bag a year of recording contract with Jeepney Music.

Filipinos are one talented bunch and we cannot be more thrilled that people behind this project came up with this. As I was browsing through MTV Emerge, I already have a few favorites and one of them is the song by Rapnophobia, God Bless Philippines. Maybe you’d like to head over the site and listen to the Filipino talents, vote for your favorite music while you’re there and you just might find yourself proud of your country, like I did.

Yet, when sin entered the world it brought a new dimension to the relationship and that was fear. Fear came into the world. And how does fear damage our relationship? Three things:

*When we are afraid of our faults, we become defensive.

Genesis 3: 11-12 says, “And he (God) said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man (Adam) said, “The woman You put here with me — she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

We hate to admit our faults. We deny our weaknesses. We disown our weaknesses. We diminish our faults. Sometimes we even defend our faults. And in the passage above, we can notice two very common reactions. We accuse and excuse. We accuse other people and excuse ourselves. A married person, when he or she is at fault, blames his or her partner.

*When we are afraid of our feelings, we become distant.

Genesis 3: 9-10 “But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

In the passage above, it shows that hiding and fear always go together. We build walls around ourselves. We put a barrier in front of us so people can’t get close to us. We wear masks.

When we don’t know how to handle hurt feelings we become distant. Why? Because it’s easier to admit anger than it is to admit hurt. When somebody hurts you, our typical reaction is hurt back. Also, when we don’t know how to handle angry feelings (anger) we also become distant.

Some people, even the followers of Christ, say that it is not good to get angry – that is wrong. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and don’t sin.” Anger is not a sin. It simply means that there’s a right way to get angry and there’s a wrong way to get angry. There’s an appropriate way to get angry, there is an inappropriate way to get angry. There are constructive ways and there are destructive ways.

Studies have shown that the healthiest families are not families that never argue or have a fight. And studies have shown that the healthiest families are not those who fight all the time. But the healthiest families are those who fight occasionally but know how to fight fair or to fight the right way.

*When we are afraid of losing our freedom, we become demanding.

Many marriage problems could be summed up in two words: power struggle. When you get to the root of it, it’s power struggle. you have two very insecure people competing for the control of the relationship. Today in our society, we’re obsessed with the idea of personal rights.

But we need to keep in mind that life is not fair. God never said life was fair. Things aren’t done perfectly here. Things aren’t always done justly. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “Lord, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We’re not going to have all our rights or needs or even interests met in life. If we go around insisting on our rights in every relationship we’re going to be miserable and angry most of the time. We must learn to be happy in spite of the fact that not all of our needs are met.

If you’re married, you must realize that God never meant for your husband or your wife to meet all your needs. There are some needs in your life only He, Himself, can meet and He has reserved those for Himself.

What is the antidote to fear in relationships?

Honesty. For you to defuse the fears in your relationships you must:

1. Be honest with yourself

You must admit that you are not perfect. None of us are. You must face up to your faults and you face up to your fears and you face up to your feelings about the relationship and stop stuffing them down.

2. Be honest with God

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Admit the fears brought by the mistakes you’ve made in the past to God. God is not going to be surprised when you admit your sins to Him. God already knows every stupid thing you’ve ever done. He knows already your fears, your feelings, you faults, you failures. He’s not going to be surprised by them or blown away. He just wants you to admit it and to come to Him to ask for help.

3. Be honest with your husband/wife

James 5:16 “Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

Two commands are mentioned in this passage. The first is to admit your faults. That command is for the offending party. The second command is to pray for each other. This net command is for both the offending and the offended party.

It says admit your faults so that you may be healed. While you’re admitting your faults, also admit your fears and also admit your feelings. The Bible says that when you do that your relationship and your own life can be healed. Reveling your feeling is the beginning of healing. It takes honesty.

How do you get rid of the fears in your relationships? The antidote to fear is fully developed love — mature, perfect love. You don’t have that kind of love. None of us do. There’s only one way you can get that kind of love. Only through Jesus Christ.

“In effect, the Guadalupe MRT Station is now the biggest air filter in the world,” says Johnson Ongking, Vice President of Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines, Inc. “The trial shows that KNOxOUT transforms an ordinary wall into an air purifier that helps protect people from the ill effects of air pollutants such as NOx.”

NOx, or nitrogen oxides, are harmful gases mostly generated from motor vehicle emissions. Trial data indicate that NOx levels in the vicinity of the Guadalupe MRT Station are at times over 200 micrograms per cubic meter — a figure that’s more than 5 times that of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of 40 micrograms per cubic meter.

Dr. Abundio A. Balgos, M.D., MHA, Tolete-Velcek Professor of Medicine, says that these figures should be a cause for concern. “At elevated levels, NOx can impair lung function, irritate the respiratory system and, at very high levels, make breathing difficult.”

He notes that among those most at risk from the effects of NOx are vehicle drivers, traffic enforcers, field workers, garbage collectors and scavengers, and those with compromised immune systems including the children and the elderly.

NOx are highly reactive gases, and is not only a health hazard in itself, but when it combines with other gases. In the presence of sunlight, it reacts with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to form ground level ozone, more commonly known as smog. NOx also reacts with other compounds to form small particulate matter. Both smog and such particles cause respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and reduction in lung function.

Until the introduction of KNOxOUT, there has not been a way to clean NOx once it’s in the air. In an ironic twist, Boysen Paints and its technology partner, Cristal Global, developed a paint, which has long had a reputation for fouling the air, to actually clean the air.

Cristal Global, the world’s leading producer of ultrafine titanium dioxide (TiO2), developed CristalActiv technology, which breaks down noxious air pollutants into harmless substances through an environmentally safe process called photocatalysis. The process requires only light and humidity for activation, and because the air cleaning TiO2 is merely a catalyst in the reaction, it does not get used up and is able to continuously clean the air.

Cristal Global had been the supplier company to European Union funded consortium called Photocatalytic Innovative Coatings Applications for De-Pollution Assessment (PICADA), which did small trials that showed that the technology could indeed reduce the level of air pollutants in real life settings. Cristal Global were involved in several more trials in Europe – a tunnel in Milan, a school in London, and an indoor parking lot in Paris that all showed promising results”.

Cristal then worked with Boysen to do the world’s largest air cleaning paint trial in Manila. The trial was a partnership with the DOTC-MRT 3 and the MMDA, and involved painting the whole Guadalupe MRT station as well as an embankment wall opposite the station along EDSA. In all, over 6,200 sq. meters of area was painted with close to 740 liters of KNOxOUT.

The trial was overseen by Conexor, a Swedish environmental project management company and the Manila Observatory, the Philippines’ oldest scientific research institute and a leading authority on air quality studies in the country. Data analysis was done by the Philippine Institute for Pure and Applied Chemistry (PIPAC) at Ateneo de Manila University. The trial involved 18 NO2 monitors, nitrate boxes, a series of traffic counting carried out by the National Center of Transportation Studies, and a weather mast to account for meteorological factors.

Data from the trial suggests that Boysen KNOxOUT, the first commercial paint in the world with CristalActiv technology, is cleaning the air at a significantly higher rate than those achieved in European trials. Initial estimates are that the KNOxOUT used in the trial will take out over 1,3 metric tons of NOx in a year.

As the country observes the 10th year anniversary of the passage of the Clean Air Act, the need to clean the noxious air of Metro Manila has never been more urgent. A study of the World Bank and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) estimates that up to 5,000 people die prematurely due to air pollution in the metropolis every year, accounting for 1 of every 8 deaths.

“KNOxOUT not only provides every Filipino with a way to help protect themselves from the harmful effects of air pollution,” says Ongking. “It also gives everyone a chance to be part of the solution to air pollution.”

”Everytime we travel with a motor vehicle, we add things to the air that harm people. Painting a wall with KNOxOUT is one of the only ways to take out the NOx that we put in the air,” he added. “It’s like planting a tree to neutralize our carbon footprint. Now we can paint walls to neutralize our NOx footprint. Every wall is a potential air purifier.”

That’s the idea behind the company’s One Wall One World Advocacy – a way to empower people to do something against air pollution. “People feel that air pollution is beyond their control, that there’s nothing they can do about it. With KNOxOUT, we’re giving people a way to fight back, so they’re no longer powerless against air pollution.”

Every little bit counts in the fight against air pollution. A study in Europe by APHEIS (Air Pollution and Health: A European Information System) found that even very small cuts in pollution can benefit health, and a recent Harvard University study found that people living in cities where air pollution decreased in recent decades saw their life expectancy increase an average of five months as a result of cleaner air.

“We have one world and we breathe the same air; therefore we have a common responsibility to improve its quality. If everyone gets involved, we can neutralize our NOx emissions one wall at a time and make the air safer for all of us.”

To find out more about air Boysen KNOxOUT and to find out which companies and citizens are stepping up to clean our air check out www.onewalloneworld.com.

The very first time I whipped up my very own version of Lasagna was when the time Kraft Eden came out with their then brand new MeltSarap cheese variant. It was an instant hit and has always been a regular recipe since. I made use of Kraft’s packaging recipe and tweaked it here and there, like I always would with my usual recipes. It gives me a certain touch of ownership to the recipe that makes it unique and me.

Here’s a collage if my first ever lasagna.  

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I love trying out and experimenting on recipes and the ones that become instant favorites are usually the ones that include cheese in them. Incidentally, SarapNgBuhay.com allows me to do just that. Experiment on cheese recipes that I will surprise my family with. You can head over the site and browse through thousands of cheese recipes you can try for yourself or better yet contribute a cheese recipe and make your mark as Filipinos attempt to break the current Guinness world record on December 14, 2009 at the Araneta Coliseum. The record by India, to date, is 4,668 and with the Filipinos’ creativity and passion for food we could huddle up and contribute our cheese recipes to reach the 5,000 mark that will break the all time world record of the most number of cheese recipes that a nation has come up with. I just contributed my very own Cheesy Kani Macaroni Salad which is a family favorite too.  Head over to SarapNgBuhay.com and check it out. 

Meanwhile, I have bookmarked this ultra yummy site . SarapNgBuhay.com can really be handy even as I plan out meals for my family!

Our church family is thriving and our hearts our full as we count our blessings. Challenges are there but the core is growing stronger than ever. We’re blessed to learn that a major portion of the car repair (the car submerged in flood water during the Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) flood) will be reimbursed by the mother church, which we are grateful for. There are a few minor repairs yet to be done like the replacement of the carpet and the dash kit, but as long as the car is doing its job, we’re good with that.  I’m getting together with my middle school friends this coming Friday and I’m off to the Canon PhotoMarathon this coming Saturday in Tagaytay.  How sweet is that.  

Watch out for Jeff’s post on Diffusing Fears in Relationships.

We have since were able to replace his thrown bed with an airbed and his bed box with a double bunk bed. Although he still sleeps in his room at night, he would cry out in the middle of the night and get to our bed. The regression is probably caused by the calamity that befell us but last night he successfully slept through the night in his own bed. Don’t get me wrong, I love him in our bed but aside from those flying kicks and karate chops that I get in my deepest sleep, our queen sized bed just won’t fit the three of us comfortably anymore. He’s growing bigger everyday and his tendency to be like a heat seeking missile since he was a tiny infant is still there. It crams me toward the hubby. I sleep in between them and I actually will not be surprised if dear daddy falls off the bed one of these days.

It’s too late to conclude that he’s good in his own bed now.  There are times that he would say that he doesn’t want to sleep in his own room because he might be afraid. It’s like going right back to the time that we had to shift from Baby Bedding to his current ones as we trained him to sleep in his own bed.  We’ll know in the coming days.  But for the record, here’s a confession,  it’s just nice to snuggle with him in bed sometimes and I love him beside me.  I am torn, I know.  I know he has to be trained to sleep in his own room but I also want him beside me.  Okay, this is obviously another issue deserving a post of its own altogether. Should I conclude then that it’s me who’s regressing? Will post a report on this later.

We also have other characteristics that define us as a nation: the achievements of our inventors and artists. Through their creativity, originality, inventiveness, ingenuity, and innovativeness, they contributed in giving the country a sense of pride. Mr. Ramon del Rosario is the man we thank for the “karaoke”. Lea Salonga defined the title role of Miss Saigon on the West End and Broadway. Rafe Totengco conquered the hearts of fashionistas all over the world with his accessories, while Brillante Mendoza triumphed in Cannes for “Kinatay.”

And when it comes to putting our country in the record books, imagination and resourcefulness is what we’ll see our culinary geniuses through this particular task: crafting 5,000 (yes, FIVE THOUSAND) dishes out of cheese to best the previous Guinness world record of 4,668 set by India.

Despite the devastation wrought by “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” we have demonstrated our gifts for networking and coordinating rescue and relief efforts through various media, giving hope to the many that lost their homes during the storm. In a similar spirit we are enjoined to come together as a nation and mobilize our gifts for creating, inventing and innovating –to showcase our Filipino food culture in 5,000 dishes as a unique, wonderful and utterly tasty experience. On December 14, we will gather cooking enthusiasts, culinary students, kusineros, chefs and foodies for one battle royale featuring cheese, with Kraft Eden products demonstrating their versatility in various dishes, from the savory to the sweet.

Enhanced with creamy and nutritious buttermilk taste fortified with Lusog-Sigla nutrients, Kraft Eden cheese is the choice for any woman who aspires to show off her flair, creativity and confidence in the kitchen. From simple snacks to sophisticated main courses, Kraft Eden cheese products can be relied upon to deliver great-tasting meals by making simple recipes extra special. Lending itself to a variety of dishes, the use of Kraft Eden cheese products is as limitless as the imagination of its user. And in the hands of some pretty creative people from various culinary backgrounds, December 14, 2009 is going to be one red-letter day as all these people work with each other in landing the Philippines in the record books with the most number of cheese dishes.

In a country that loves a fiesta, with various culinary traditions from many regions and 7,107 islands, where almost any snack worth enjoying can be improved with the addition of cheese: ensaymada, puto, bibingka, pichi-pichi –coming up with 5,000 dishes should be a piece of, well, cheese.

A week since I last did my workout and I haven’t gone back to it again. Truth to tell, I’ve been crazy busy these previous days and I practically just get home to catch some few hours of sleep. I’m getting my schedule fixed next week and will only attend a single event.

What makes the guilt even stronger is all those calories I gain from attending those yummy events. If I don’t hold it I’m sure to need to get hold of the best diet supplements before Christmas breaks. Otherwise, I’m off to balloon in 2010.  That ain’t happening because next week, I will make sure I start my day with my 4 minute F.I.T. workout.

To help parents along, early learning expert Dr. George Morrison and literacy specialist Laura Benson will speak on Nov. 5 & 6, 2009, at the 1st Philippine Summit on Early Childhood Education sponsored by Wyeth Progress Pre-School Gold. Held in Fort Bonifacio Global City, the two-day seminar aimed to promote the importance of early childhood education in the Philippines. Some 750 educators, program administrators, school supervisors, university students, researchers, social workers, psychologists, counselors, developmental pediatricians, and parents will attend to learn about the latest information on early childhood learning.

Dr. Morrison, professor and director of the Success for Life Programs at the University of North Texas, will be sharing his knowledge on the current Trends and Best Practices in Early Childhood Education on Thursday, November 5. The author of several books on early childhood development, he is constantly sought to speak and present on the future of early childhood education, changing roles of early childhood teachers, the influence of contemporary educational reforms, as well as research and legislation on teaching and learning.

“Early childhood professionals have acknowledged that they must educate the whole child—his or her physical, social, emotional and cognitive aspects. However, the spiritual aspect has not received much attention. A recent trend is a greater emphasis on supporting children’s spiritual development through moral and character education,” he said.

He will also talk about developments in the areas of readiness for learning school, increased use of technology, early literacy learning, and the politicization of early childhood education.

Benson will discuss about Launching Readers: Developmentally Responsive Reading Instruction and Assessment for Children 2-6, providing tips in facilitating reading activities as well as practical assessment tools. She brings over two decades of experience teaching reading to children. A literacy consultant and education writer, she is a professional development associate in the Leadership and Learning Center in Colorado; and a senior consultant and coordinator of Coaching Programs at The National Urban Alliance for Effective Education. She is also a professor at Regis University, the University of Colorado, and other schools.

“In preparing children for literacy, it is important to nurture curiosity. When children are curious, learning is more compelling and more fulfilling… Questions are also powerful in energizing children’s writing. When a child writes about something he or she is curious about, the writing work is compelling. It also encourages them to read more to inform their own writing,” she explained.

She also shared her recommended list of children’s literature for reading proficiency.

By the end of the two-day event, participants—parents and educators alike—discovered new and more effective ways to set achievable but challenging learning goals for kids, provide the proper support, and monitor children’s optimal development.

“When children go through preschool, they experience skills or concepts in meaningful contexts as learning is easier and more likely to transfer in new situations. Thus, children with solid early childhood education experiences become flexible and consistent learners and truly develop a love for learning,” Dr. Morrison added.

“Different people who work with children can make use of what we shared to plan learning experiences and teaching strategies appropriate for young children as well as create learning environments suitable for these young minds,” Benson concluded.

The 1st Philippine Summit on Early Childhood Education was also sponsored by Maximus Inventus.

The principles shared relates to all relationships. The fact is, whenever two people relate together closely, in a close intimate way, the issue that often has to be addressed first is, “How do we deal with our differences?”

First, I would just like to tell you something about our marriage. This coming December 8, Jennie and I will be celebrating our 8th year of marriage.   I’d be lying if I said we’re living a happily ever after kind of marriage. We’ve had to work very hard at our marriage and God has worked miracles in our marriage. There was a stage we thought we wouldn’t make it. But God has worked miracles. We’ve loved each other dearly and we’ve disliked each other immensely. We’ve been through sickness and health. We’ve been through richer and poorer. And we’ve been through better and worse. And we give God glory today that He’s brought our relationship where we are comfortable but with God’s grace, are still working on our marriage to become better.

Incompatibility is a Given

One of the things I have seen in relationships is that incompatibility is a given, particularly in the marriage relationship. I believe that marriage is the union of two imperfect people in an impossible relationship. Humanly speaking it’s not supposed to work. Humanly speaking, the differences are so great that it is almost impossible to make it work. But the miracle is that God does make it work. Marriage is a life-long process of building a union of two people who are so different, so far apart that without God’s work it isn’t going to work.

Since incompatibility is a given, it is very important to have the right model of marriage. If couples had the wrong model of marriage in mind, then obviously they’re not going to come to terms with this issue of the differences between the two of them.

Most people have as their model of marriage something that goes like this: Marriage is like buying a new car. It’s good to begin with, but in the process of time it turns bad. So in this model, you buy a new car. You drive it off the lot. It starts easily, it runs smoothly, it smells good. But after a little while, even though you park on the line, straddling two parking places, sooner or later your car will get some scratches. As the carburetor gums up, it starts to not run so smoothly, gets difficult to start. Dirt and dust sets inside and the smell becomes bad.

In this model of marriage, it’s good to begin with, but after a period of time — 8 years, 10 years, 15, 20 years — it starts to go bad. With this model, what many couples try to do is try to get back to where they were in the beginning. Other couples think about getting a trade in. Others think about getting a new one. This model is clearly a wrong model for marriage.

What couples need to realize is that marriage is not good and perfect to begin with. At the start of marriage what they’re given is a box of broken parts. Marriage is broken to begin with. It is the union of two fallen beings – sinners (Romans 5:12; 3:10, 23). It doesn’t feel that way because there is this thing called romantic love which is a temporary form of insanity and it sort of muddles the picture. But in reality what couples have is a box of broken parts. What couples are called upon to do is to begin to assemble and make something beautiful out of that box of parts. As they begin to put things together you discover that the wheels are all different sizes, the front’s a Honda, the back’s a Toyota. The challenge becomes how to fit everything together.

We call it incompatibility but I would like to think of it as the differences couples bring into the relationship and how each couple has to begin to put it together and build something beautiful out of it. The wonderful thing about this model is that it means that even though things are not working right now you are in the process of building something beautiful out of it – a life-long process.

Many Sources of Incompatibility

There are many significant sources of incompatibility or differences. The more couples understand them, the better. The more couples accept them, and celebrate them, the better.

*Different sexes. The big, big difference between a man and a woman is already a major source of incompatibility.

*Different family backgrounds. Each party in a relationship is has a different way of understanding how a family operates. And for many, many years in the early stages of trying to put those broken parts together, a lot of the conflict that exists, is conflict over bringing in different backgrounds and trying to see how they fit together in this new thing being built.

*Different styles of communicating.

*Different personalities.  My wife and I have exactly opposite personalities.  She’s a type A personality and I’m a Type B.  A Type A personality is someone always in a hurry. Always early for things. Type A personality has a low tolerance for frustration, does not like standing in line. Type A personalities finish your sentences for you. Type A personalities have a deep sense of justice. The opposite of the Type A person is the person who is very slow to anger, has a tremendous amount of patience, doesn’t feel like it’s his or her responsibility to keep the world in line, it’s everything that’s opposite from the Type A.

Our difference in personalities is a source of conflict for us.  But, understanding our personalities  and the other differences we have and how God has put us together has helped us work through the conflicts in our life.

How to Overcome Incompatibility

God cannot bless a marriage that does not have an intentional commitment to working out one’s differences. God blesses those who take this matter seriously.

1. Understand the differences you and your partner have.

Philippians 2: 3-4“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.”

After understanding the sources of incompatibility of your partner, you will need to…

2. Release your partner to be himself or herself. There are many reasons why we are different. We bring into the marriage relationship a lot of unfinished business – a lot of baggage. Marriage is a therapeutic process. It’s not only a relationship of deep spiritual significance, it has a therapeutic significance as well. God has designed marriage as a way of bringing healing to both partners in a marriage relationship.

Pretty soon, like I and my wife are slowly seeing, you will realize that God has truly put you together for a purpose. You will begin to see that your partner was given to you to perfect you and vice-versa. This is the acceptance part of the relationship.

3. Learn to forgive differences. Because of humanness and differences as well, couples develop certain attitudes toward each other. Sometimes because of too much familiarity, couples lose respect for each other. Familiarity breeds contempt. Scripture tells us to have mutual respect for each other.

Ephesians 4:29, 31-32 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Verses 29-31 can serve as a guide for couples in their relationship during conflict. The last verse, verse 32, is a command for us to forgive.

The fact is any person in a relationship will get hurt and hurt others as well. We will all see imperfections in each other. One of the main ingredients of a happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers. If couples can learn to forgive every day, you’re going to be set free.

Forgiveness is this, “Giving up my right to hurt you back.” We always want to hurt each other and say something back. But when we forgive, the one who is set free is the one who forgives.

4. Learn to give “love gifts”. A love gift is something you give to someone else when you don’t want to do it. Jennie is not much of an athlete but I love sports so much. The time when Jennie allowed me to play football and even watched me was a love gift from her to me. If you give a love gift — that’s something you do for your partner out of love even though you don’t want to do it yourself. It’s like a sacrificial favor.

Let me share some points about love gifts. First, you may not ask for a love gift. If you ask for a love gift you disqualify yourself from getting it.

Second, you may not complain when you’re doing it. You forfeit the right to complain about it.

Third, the one who gives the love gift is the one who gets the blessing. The joy is multiplied when we learn to give.

5. Develop common interests. Some of the things my wife and I did to create a bond between us was that some years ago we played badminton together. We would play a few games of badminton with another couple and this brought us closer.

Couples need to experiment and discover things together. We all need to be intentional and put effort into our marriage.

Marriage is hard work. But God works miracles. That’s why it is important for married couples to not only include God in their marriage, but to make Him a priority.

Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. “

6. Make Christ number one in your life. On your own, you do not have the power to do and choose the right thing. Most of the time, we will end up corrupted, making bad decisions. But if you open your heart to God and A) admit that you can not make life work on your own and ask forgiveness for your sinfulness – your great capability to make mistakes – and B) believe in your heart that Christ is the only acceptable payment and sacrifice for your sins because all others are unacceptable (religion, good works) and finally C) commit yourself to God by making Him the Boss and Manager of your life, God promises to make you a new person (2 Corinthians 5:17) and empower you to do the right thing, not only in your marriage, but in your whole life as well (Philippians 2:13).  He will empower you to do the steps suggested herein.

First off, what is degustation? Prior to last night, I had no clue what that was. We arrived pretty early at the venue, went to check the night’s schedule and got rather clueless when I saw that the night’s event is called degustation.  Okay, what does a blogger do during such times? Google it up. That’s what I did. Who can better define the word than Wikipedia.

Degustation is a culinary term meaning “a careful, appreciative tasting of various foods” and focusing on the gustatory system, the senses, high culinary art and good company. 

The French term dégustation is still commonly used in English-language contexts, even though a standard Anglicized spelling and pronunciation exist.

Modern dégustation probably comes from the French kitchens of the early 20th century and is different from earlier meals with many courses because these meals were served as full-sized meals at each course. Dégustation is more likely to involve sampling small portions of all of a chef’s signature dishes in one sitting. Usually consisting of eight or more courses, it may be accompanied by a matching wine degustation which complements each dish.

Sampling a selection of cheeses, at home or in a restaurant, may also be called a dégustation. Three to four varieties are normally chosen, generally including a semi-soft cheese, a goat’s cheese, and a blue cheese. The stronger varieties are normally tasted last. See the article “A Cheese Lover’s Tour of France” from The New York Times.

A dégustation is always held during the Japanese television show Iron Chef.

Last week was A.I.C.A.’s  22nd and 23rd batches turn to undergo hell week.  They call it such because after 10 months of classroom experience, they actually get to run a restaurant just like a professional chef would.  From the interior to the marketing to the way they serve their dishes, it’s all them.  And I saw for myself how they can really pass for real professionals.   

the fine and intricate details of their table setting

I just love turning its pages during the degustation — to anticipate the next high. Every single course spoke for itself.  The silence in between bites was affirmation enough that it did its purpose of satisfying our palates. Several hours after this meal and I can still taste from my recollection the yumminess of each course.

Chicken liver mousse. Served to open our palates. Yes! There’s a science behind why courses are served at different portions of the meal.  Nothing like I’ve ever tasted before, to say the least. For someone who isn’t exactly partial towards liver stuff, this is a hit! I loved it!  Chef Jerome taught us through.  We didn’t have an idea how to eat it.  It was served fromthis delicate spoon and we were told to eat it right from the spoon. Needless to say, it excited our taste buds and paved the way to the 8 equally delectable courses to come.  

Deep fried shishamo, petit salad in citrus dressing and ceviche of scallops.  If you like deep fried “Tawilis from Tagaytay,” you are going to fall head over heals in love with Shishamu.  But here’s the bad news, this ain’t available locally. Shishamu thrives only in the cold waters of Canada.  This particular dish is sponsored by one of the students in the batch,  Catherine Ingles, the grand daughter of Nora Daza.  The very same lovely chef who will do her on the job training at the world’s lone 7 star hotel in Dubai, Jumeirah.  She also is the lone distributor of Shishamo in the Philippines.   What makes this special is this…

… it is laden with eggs!!!Which makes it extra tasty and healthy. Packed with all those omega goodness for your heart. 

Prawn Bisque.

salmon confit in infused almond oil with mashed potatoes.

Braised cabbage rolls in tomato basil sauce.

Green tea basil sorbet.

Shiraz braised pork knuckles with watercress walnut relish in mashed potatoes and port wine sauce.

 Chocolate Truffles.

We got to sit with the owner of A.I.C.A. himself.  Michael M. Tiaoqui shared the vision he has for the culinary school and how the Academy for International Culinary Arts believes in the creative Filipino culinary talent. This culinary school is manned by a distinguised staff of qualified teachers and trainers possessing excellent international credentials.  They have state-of-the art facilities that augment the practical hands-on methodology.  A.I.C.A. also sticks to the proven and tested 14 member-per-class ratio, with nothing less than 90% hands-on training application. Students are exposed to perform and devlop the mastery in the course subjects.  They also provide a comprehensive post evaluation and program opportunities for both the local and international markets.  

photo op with the culinary legend, Chef Nora Daza

A.I.C.A. 
The Academy for International Culinary Arts
2/F Skyway Twin Towers
Capt. Henry P. Javier Street
Pasig City, Philippines
672.2119; 672.2271
http://www.aicaculinary.com

Okay. So I have not exactly been doing the Fast Interval Training (F.I.T.) workout on a regular basis. Yes, it’s just four minutes, but you have to give it to me that I tried. The plank exercises just about killed my arms, even if it’s just 30 seconds each. I need a yoga mat! Seriously. The four minutes does not sound very long but the fragile me will get bruised from hitting the hard and cold floor every time.

I’m not giving up. Not resorting to weight loss pills just yet.  But will go grab myself that yoga mat very soon.

the hubby in one of his games. Forgive the blurry shots, DSLR wasn’t yet available then.

teaching our lil 4yo guy to juggle.

Although I’m not exactly a couch potato, it does take huge effort to get me to my toes and actually workout. Plus, I have a long list of reasons up my sleeves why I cannot work out and they are all valid, mind you. I homeschool, work from home, cover events and keep house. How do I get all these things packed in a day? Go figure. But that was before The Dare to be Fit ‘N Right Bloggers Event held in MOA last October 23. Del Monte Fit ‘N Right couldn’t have chosen a better speaker than Master Coach Jim Saret. A sports scientist who obtained an MS Sports Science degree in Brigham Young University in the United States, introduced the Fast Intense Training (FIT) workout that will only take 4 minutes of my precious time per day. Now, however busy one can be, there is just no reason not to stay in shape anymore.

Doing the FIT workout is easy, it is basically just body weight lifting composed of crunches, push ups, squats and lunges.  It is so convenient that you can do it whenever, wherever.

the four celebrity assistants doing the four minute, higher intensity workout

Apparently, the treadmill isn’t good enough. I think it can be a little overrated, even. Aside from the hassle of having to squeeze it in my already loaded schedule, I don’t exactly fancy going to the gym. Our old treadmill rotted without being maximized, to begin with.  So the FIT, might just be the one workout that will make me stick to a regimen.

The FIT workout is composed of  fast bursts of intensive exercise that enables one to burn at least 400 calories in a span of only four minutes and this is where Fit ‘N Right comes right in. It helps the body burn fat and calories faster. The L-Carnitine ingredient transports the fatty acids into the mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouse where they are burned into energy needed for a healthy heart and other important body functions.  If L-Carnitine levels are increased, the body’s ability to oxidize fat is optimized. With supplementary L-Carnitine, proper diet and regular exercise, one can achieve ideal body weight and ensure a healthy life.

Del Monte Fit ‘N Right also contains Vitamin B1, B6 and B12 that helps speed up metabolism, resulting in faster weight loss. Vitamins B1, B6 and B12 are energy boosters and increases endurance by facilitating the conversion of carbohydrates, protein and fat into energy that is needed by the body in performing physical functions. It also contains natural fruit juice that provides the body with 100 percent of its RDA. We were told as well that the perfect time to drink Fit ‘N Right is 2 hours before the workout.

Coach Jim’s talk on The Science of Getting Fit and Losing Weight was a real eye opener. Although I never had weight issues, it does not exactly follow that I am already fit.  The fact that I have to catch my breath doing just one  flight of stairs should already give me away.  Aside from my getting tired easily, love handles are not exactly the nicest thing on my tiny 101 lb. frame.

This is the perfect follow through for my quest to becoming healthier.  We’re in the midst of this year’s last quarter and no hospitalization –that is quite something. I used to be confined at least once a year since 2005, not counting the random ones I had before that. Judging from my health history, I was never really in my tip top shape and I declare that at my age of 33, it is not yet too late. I’m going to do this primarily because I want to be a better steward of my health.  Seeing my family suffer as I do isn’t easy.  So even though I might have the sweetest family in the world but if the queen has a wavering health, our quality of life suffers. This is why I so appreciate the encouragement I received from the organizers of this Dare to be Fit ‘N Right event to get back to working out.

Incidentally, there is an upcoming Fun Run event sponsored by Del Monte Fit ‘N Right.  It is a follow through to their commitment of promoting a healthy lifestyle with the Dare to be Fit ‘n Right culmination fun run on November 22 in SM Mall of Asia. Official race call time is at 4 am in front of SM MOA Music Hall.

The 3K/5K/10K Men and Women Open will benefit the victims of typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng, among others, through the SM Foundation.
For a registration fee of P300, runners can get their race packet with the Dare to Fit ‘n Right Fun Run singlet, race bib, Fit ‘N Right products, etc. Interested participants can register at the following areas:

• CEMG Office – Unit 3A Vernida I Bldg., Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City/ Look for Marianne Tapales (892.5842/09155498282)
• Dare to be Fit ‘n Right booths in Bonifacio High Street, Taguig and in selected SM Hypermarkets: Mall of Asia, Sucat, Pasig, and North EDSA
• Fitness First branches on November 16, 2009.

1st, 2nd and 3rd place runners from each division will win P10, 000, P5, 000 and P3, 000, respectively. All registered runners will also automatically qualify for the raffle, where they can win a Lenovo laptop.