Story Book Mom

My Latest Craze: Clipix

2012-02-28T05:01:00.002+08:00

How much time do you spend facing your laptops or desktops just surfing and browsing the Internet? For those who work online like most work at home moms of today's generation, the Internet seems like a black hole. Time would start with simple checking of emails, updating of Social Media, watching some videos on line and before you know it hours had passed! There's just so much we could find in the world wide web that sometimes, bookmarking some images or articles is not enough.
I am personally now trying my newest discovery on how I could be organized when it comes to my "ME Time" (that's my moment when I have all the time to be online). Clipix makes my life (online) easier and more organized. Since I couldn't get enough of those cute wedding pictures I usually search online, digital scrapbooking ideas, articles that inspire me to write.. I had tons of websites that I often visit each day. Now, I don't have to remember those sites every time I need to visit them since Clipix is here now.
Curious how clipix works? It's so simple. You just have to drag the Clip button to your bookmarks bar, start doing your usual browsing and if you find something that you would want to look at again, just click Clip and that's it! You have the option to customize it, like setting your own privacy, adding clipboards, sharing it to your friends and relatives etc. For a better understanding about this interesting site, you can check out

screenshot of my first Clip:)

Visit my Clipix account and start your own too! Invite your friends, let's all enjoy Clipix! Hmm... I just wonder, what are the stuff that you would normally Clip? Articles, photos, videos? Care to share what you have in mind?
Promoted Post

Valentine's Day 2012

2012-02-16T02:12:00.001+08:00

Most of my fellow bloggers shared their Valentine's Day experience so might as well share mine too. This year's V-day was not as romantic as last year, wherein hubby and I exchanged gifts and had a date. It was like a simple day for us, no plan of going out after work and we both didn't bothered to buy gifts for each other. What I am expecting from him actually was a sweet SMS as he went off to work. And guess what? My phone did beep and it said "Baby andito sa kanto yun kolektor ng basura, palabas mo yun sa atin, iloveyou". How sweet noh?! Toinks! And that would do, at least there's the three magic words:)

I knew our kids will be doing arts and craft related to Valentine's day and so they did. It was an overwhelming feeling to receive those kinds of gift from our kids because we knew they really meant it when they greeted us "Happy Valentines Mommy, Daddy, we love you."

Valentine's Day 2012

Hubby had been asking me what's for dinner on his way home and since I was too lazy to sneak out to buy him a gift, I just exerted an extra effort to cook something for dinner except for the breaded porkchop that I had in mind earlier. I cooked "ginisang sitaw" for him which I knew he would love. I prepared our table, placed his favorite dinnerware and let our food cool down as we waited for him.

The kids were already on their PJ's when hubby came and he was hiding something at his back. I pretended not to notice but the kids already yelled "Chocolates!". He handed it to me with a kiss. Our kiddos wanted to devour those chocolates right that minute so to stop them, I told them that I'll take a picture of it first. Hubby told them that we'll all have dinner first then we'll eat those chocolates. Luckily, they abide. They wanted to eat the Ferrero first but I said no, instead I offered the huge Toblerone. Hub got two slices and gave it to my mom, while me and the kids had one slice each. They wanted to have two but I told them one was enough. Indeed, that was enough because I could see they were just trying to finish off that one slice and my little daughter couldn't take it anymore and she said, "Mommy, yoko na!" lol! And they wanted to have two huh!

So basically, that was just how we had our Valentine's day. How did you spent yours?

Wall Frames

2012-02-11T03:59:00.000+08:00

I guess I am not the only one who have tons of yet to be printed photos either inside a digital camera, laptop or both! Admit it, the culprit are those social media and other photo and video sharing sites. As for me, perfect shots of my family and my three kids should be printed and framed. Oh and speaking of frames, I'm very fond of black or and white picture frames like these:

Black or and White Wall Frames

I got these from different stores and in different prices. The two squared frames on top were on sale last Christmas and I got two for only Php199 along with the dinnerware that hubby bought last year. The big one at the middle was I think around Php300 while the smaller ones were around Php80 to Php90 each.

Wall frames are ideal rather than desk top frames especially for small-spaced home where desks or tables could only eat up precious space. I plan to buy more of these wall decorations anytime soon so hopefully they will still be on sale.

If We Could Only Bonsai-ed Our Kids

2012-02-09T03:44:00.000+08:00

I browsed my children's pictures last night as I made my new blog header and I just couldn't help but to think that my kiddos are really going up so fast. I uploaded some of their baby photos to hubby's Facebook account so he could browse it at their office as he eat his lunch. Sometimes I prepare his meal and place it in take-out boxes to bring into his office. I am already expecting text messages from him the minute he saw those cute photos because he seldom use our laptop when he's at home.

My eldest son who is growing up as strict and reserved but sweet and certified Granny's Boy

Children especially of today's generation grow up incredibly fast and perhaps it's because of the food they eat, the kind of technologies we have and lots of other aspects compared to our generation (70's, 80's 90's?). That made me think that it was much easier to take care of them when they were still babies. They just had their milk, sleep, play and sleep again. Now, I have to wake up early, prepare them for school, wait till they come home and watch over them as they play with other kids. I often get exasperated when they are playing inside our room, then after a while one or all three of them would cry just because they fought over their toys. Whew! There are moments when they would yank me to play with them either "let's pretend games", "tickle me mommy" or pillow fight. It would often be a chaos and to pacify them and to spare myself from being too tired of playing, I would tell stories. My eldest son loves scary ones while my two daughters love funny or magical tales. Good thing most moms (like me) have wide and wild imagination to share with their kids.

My second daughter who is becoming more kikay as she grows up.

I love how my kids hug me. I love how they kiss, say good night and sweet dreams to me even if it's not evening yet and we're only having our afternoon nap.

I can now see that my son is becoming more independent than before. He would now choose to play with his playmates instead of coming with me either at the bank or at the grocery. My second daughter would usually ask her playmates to come over to our house to play or just watch cartoons, sometimes it's the other way around. She would be at her playmate's house and I would have to come over to fetch her. My youngest who would normally be with me all the time would now cry at the top of her lungs if she saw our gate locked and she can't go out to run around in front our house.

My youngest daughter who is becoming more of her dad, sociable and friendly.

Now, wouldn't you agree with me at the idea of getting our kids bonsai-ed? Stop them from growing and just have them as cute little babies who would make our day just by their giggles? But of course it's just a wistful thinking. The key is to spend lots of time with them and never miss a second of their growing up days.

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club Makes Sick and Unhealthy Days Acceptable

2012-02-06T09:00:00.001+08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Many of my colleagues had looked for better opportunities outside the country. As the saying goes "the grass is greener on the other side". Well, indeed that saying is true. They are now living a lot better and are actually enjoying life that they could never have if they stayed here. Feeling home sick is already a given fact especially for those living alone to earn more by working abroad. Most often, when I get the chance to chat with any of them, one thing that they would rant about is the hassle of getting sick with only co-workers or not-so-close relatives by their side.

Just recently, one of my friend keeps on bragging to me how Walgreens Prescription Savings Club makes her sick and unhealthy days acceptable. She said she got her annual membership at a special discount of $20 which they offer for individual applications. Few of her friends there also availed a family membership for only $35 a year which covers everyone in the immediate family including a spouse, dependents 22 and younger and even pets!.

Few of the perks that she gets from being a member are the following:

Saving on more than 8,000 brand-name and all generic medications
Discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies
Bonuses when she purchases Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services.

If you are also living abroad or have relatives and loved ones there, share this great news by encouraging them to check and like Walgreens on Facebook and by following Walgreens on Twitter to get the latest updates and valuable offers from Walgreens.

Now that makes me wonder, perhaps in the future, we could have a Walgreens counterpart here in our country and enjoy the same perks like those people living abroad.

Dark Clouds and Silver Lining

2012-02-06T05:15:00.000+08:00

God had tapped my hubby's back quite hard last week. He got himself in peril and just the thought of what happened that day scared the hell out of me. On the bright side, I know he already learned his lesson ~~the hard way.~~ I thought I could say to him "serves you right" since he was too stubborn to listen to me but no, I didn't.. I couldn't. I know how he feels and I can feel that he was still in shock, scared. He's a big man but as his wife, I can always see the child in him that no one else does. And as a mom, when I see my children scared or afraid, I show them that I'm always here, would hug them until they feel safe and comfortable. That's exactly what I gave to him and will continually do as long as he needs it, don't care if I act as his mom to him. I am always here to give my full support. He knows that for sure. I will always stand by his side, no matter what the case is.

With this post, I would also like to extend my gratitude to those people who have always been there for my hubby. For being with him through his ups and downs. No need to mention your names, I know when you read this you'll know it's you. Both of us will be forever in debt of your help and assistance during these trying times.

Behind dark clouds is a silver lining and I know that's true. This is just a sign of a brighter future ahead. That big burden that I've been carrying for almost three years now was gone, completely. Lastly, I pray for my hubby's peace of mind and safety all the time. You know I love you and remember that no matter what, we'll always be together in good and bad times.

Monthly Roundup: January 2012

2012-02-01T01:11:00.000+08:00

Few more minutes and January is finally over and since it's the first month of the year, might as well make a monthly round up post starting with this one.

I'm claiming that this year is MY year. Last year was not ~~really~~ good to me so I'll make the most of 2012. Starting with me and hubby's heart to heart talk before New Year's Eve. I felt hubby's sincerity and strong will to keep his promises that time and it inspires me a lot. It was also the first time that he wrote me a letter:)

Goodbye January! Hello February... :)

There were few and minor bumps in four weeks time but those were fixed immediately when we both reminded ourselves what we promised to each other that night. We are also both determined to achieve our goal this year, perhaps another out of the country or even few out of town with our kids.

I am also thankful that I have smart kids. Seeing my son's high scores on his 3rd Periodical Test few days ago really make us proud parents. My daughter Erin keeps on showing strong leadership in their class. My youngest keeps on growing as super "madaldal" (talkative) for her age. She also shows strong PR towards other people like her dad.

As for me, I am glad that I got few more online gigs. I had extra savings this month which I intend to save for Erin's 5th birthday on March. I also got to do more tasks this month for my regular client since my mind was free from worries and negative vibes.

Aside from slight colds and flu, no one in my family got seriously sick and that above all is what I am thankful for.

I guess a blog post every month would do to remind me of what happened to me and my family. Perhaps having your life recorded and saved in CD/DVD would be much better but of course that would be tedious, expensive and lots of effort too so I'll settle with this one.

Goodbye January, thank you for being nice to me and my family..

Hello February!

Party, Party

2012-01-29T00:16:00.000+08:00

Erin was excited when she went home yesterday. She had with her a birthday invitation from her best friend and classmate since Nursery, Zairus. My mom would always tell me how close these two are. When she brings Erin to school and he sees her, it's as if they haven't seen each other for years. The same scene would happen when it's time to go home from their class. They would both wave and say goodbye endlessly until they part ways.

So here is my Erin Girl in her dress, ready to have fun at her best friend's 5th birthday party to be held at their school.

Erin Girl

My mom told me that when they arrived, there were other kids already then Zai's mom exclaimed "Ay ayan na si Erin!", (Oh, here comes Erin!) and from the way she said it, it's as if Erin was their special guest:) She handed out her gift to him and said happy birthday. Mom left her and just asked their teacher to text her if the party's over. It's Saturday and I'm overloaded with household chores so I wasn't able to come with her. Here are some pictures from the party which I grabbed from Zairus's mom's Facebook (hope it's okay with her).

Kids enjoying the birthday party

Fun games ignited the children's energy. My daughter had a great time and it was obvious from the pictures above. There was a buffet of food for mommies while for the kids, their meals were placed in take-out boxes. Using these food services for children's birthday parties is very popular but in other country, eco friendly parties especially for kids are being widely promoted. Instead of Styrofoam or plastic plates, they use biodegradable ones to help Mother Earth and of course to save their children too from getting toxic and other harmful materials from plastic plates or cups. Hopefully, we could also adapt that trend. If only eco friendly plates are spread all over the supermarket or groceries, people would be much aware that there are such products. Unfortunately, sometimes you would have to exert much effort to ask the store keeper if they have it because mostly they are placed far beneath the shelves.

Anyway, when the party was over, Erin's teacher texted my mom that she could pick her up. Zai's mom was excited to show the two kids' pictures and said she would look for me in Facebook and tagged me the photos. Well, I guess I was that excited too that I looked for her account first and tada! Pictures grabbed and posted.

Happy Birthday Zairus! Hopefully, you and Erin would remain best friends until you are both grown ups.:)

Yay! I Cooked!

2012-01-28T13:00:00.002+08:00

Aside from our new dinnerware set, we don't have anything new in our kitchen that could inspire me to at least try to cook. But odd, I did cooked two meals this week! And not to count the Graham Cake I did as requested by hubby. Yay for me right?! In my six years of marriage, hubby is the one who's always in charge of cooking. When he's not around, my kids will expect fried dish on our table (that's the only thing I could do with chicken, pork or fish) .

So what prompted me to work on my cooking skills? I guess I got disappointed with the recent long weekend that we had. I asked hubby to prepare meals other than fried dish since he's off from work. But he didn't. He said he was lazy to cook so he just asked me to fry whatever inside the fridge (that was Sunday). Come Monday and instead of heading to my request he yanked us all to eat outside.

So I thought, perhaps now is the time that I should really learn how to cook (after six years of marriage ugh! Shame on me!) And for my first attempt, I tried to cook "nilagang manok". I was nervous when I had my kids seated on their chair, waiting for their meals. My son loves this dish so I asked him first how did it taste. He said it's delicious and I believe him because after his first cup of rice he asked for the second and third one. My daughter, Erin, ate a lot too that day while my youngest loves the cabbage I put in it. It was a success!

Second attempt was a dish with no name lol! I just cooked the pork meat with tomato sauce and as requested by Cien, cabbage! When hubby tasted it, he said it's okay and that he's proud because at least now I'm trying to cook. It's a nice feeling to learn something new everyday. Now this is just one of the reasons why I think and believe that this year is MY year! (fingers crossed)

A Perfect Breather

2012-01-28T00:28:00.001+08:00

I'm glad that before 2011 ends, I got to keep in touch with my girlfriends. First was with my college friends then the second was with my former office mates. Those were such good breather for me since I work online and blog. It refreshes my mind and gave me new stuff to blab aside from the fact that I got to enjoy myself without kids or husband at tow.

Bonding with my girlfriends @Starbucks

A day was actually not enough for us to catch up with our lives since we rarely see each other. We talked about our good old times working together in the same company. We may be living in different paths now but the camaraderie we had will always stay with us. Thanks to different social medias because reminiscing is just few clicks away through pictures and videos.

Bonding with friends does not need to be expensive. We spent hours at Starbucks and ordered coffee for each of us (with take-out boxes on our hands when we went home lol!). After all, the reason why we made efforts to to travel and meet up was to catch up with each other and not to load our ~~bloating~~ tummies.:)

Perfect Match for Hours of Chikkas

Chinese New Year 2012

2012-01-25T02:51:00.000+08:00

The recent long weekend for me and my family was just spent at home. My hubby's siblings invited us to go to Cavite to spend the weekend with them but unfortunately, hubby declined because the kids will just get tired of the long travel from Cainta to Cavite. But come Monday and our three children asked us if we are not going out. They watched all the new movie in DVD their dad bought last week and they seemed bored so we decided to have our lunch outside after all last Monday was also Chinese New Year.

And what could be the most convenient place for us to have lunch but at SM (as usual). It was still early to have lunch so we walked around first. Hubby saw this red sofa with ang-pao tree behind and we had our pictures taken.

Chinese New Year

January 23,2012

We already ate at almost all of the food outlet in SM Taytay and so we had lunch for the nth time at Savory. Our lunch was actually a treat from me because I got a sideline and got few bucks from it. It was a nice feeling for me because at least I got to treat my family once in a while and I'm sure hubby enjoyed his meal so much this time because he didn't paid for it. lol!

Lunch Out @Savory

New Set of Dinnerware For Him

2012-01-22T18:00:00.001+08:00

Before 2011 ends, hubby finally bought what he had been meaning to buy.. a new set of dinnerware!lol! As if it's a big deal for a man huh?! Well, for my hubby, it is. Because if he will let me decide about to buy or not, he knew I would rather buy something else for our house rather than new plates and cutlery.

So here it is, our new dinnerware set:

New Set of Dinnerware from Home World

What's funny about my hubby's choice of dinnerware is that he wants those with unique shapes. Aside from the usual rounded plates, we had a set of square plates and mind you, they are heavy. We also got a set of egg-shaped plates, like those from Jollibee before and plates like what Greenwhich is using for their lasagna. And now, these, not square, not round but "almost" triangle plates. They are thin and light and so far, I like it. Because no matter how many times I accidentally bump it to our dish dispenser, it never got a crack nor scratch. So that's it. wish granted for hubby!:))

She's A Doll Lover

2012-01-21T23:35:00.000+08:00

I love watching my daughter, Cien, when she's playing with her dolls. At two and a half years old, she can play by herself using her creative imagination. Hubby and I also noticed that she loves her toys unlike her two siblings. Before she got these two dolls (the other one is actually her sister's doll but she adopted it and became her baby too.) she would have Woody, Buzz, Teddy, Elmo, Winnie the Pooh or any other doll that were owned by Erin or Ciren beside her as she sleeps. She takes care of them as if they are hers.

So, when she wished for a baby alive last Christmas, hubby and I gave in easily because we knew that she will take good care of it along with its feeding bottle and a set of plastic cutlery. And she did. That's why we were excited to bring home another gift from her Ninong which was an additional to her collection, a Fisher Price doll.

Our Little Doll Lover

She didn't gave names for her Baby Alive Dolls but the one above was named by her as "Jessie". Now what's bugging me and her siblings is that these three dolls occupied a lot of bed space! So I talked to her and said that every night she could have just one doll with her and she could let the two sleep in the living room. She was hesitant at first but in the end, she agreed but in one condition, she would have to kiss them goodnight first before she let me leave them in our living room. But after few nights, hubby complained that I should just put her dolls somewhere else because he always got surprised seeing them in the dim light when he go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The ending was, after Cien sees that her dolls are safely seated on our sofa, I will transfer them in the dining area, where her Dad won't see them.

So far, Cien's favorite among her three dolls is Jessie because her body is soft and cuddly plus she loves touching her brunette hair. She even wants to have the same hair style as hers, short hair with bangs lol!

Be A Member of Walgreens Prescription Savings Club

2012-01-16T12:00:00.001+08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

2012 could have been a not so good start between Walgreens and Express Script. The negotiations of these two companies for a new contract failed and so at the start of the year, it was declared that Walgreens is no longer a part of the Express Scripts pharmacy provider network.

Of course this unfortunate event brought inconveniences for patients because they would have to go elsewhere just to use their in-network pharmacy benefits compared to what they used to do, dropping by at the nearest Walgreens around their neighborhood. And who would have thought that even the military will also be affected? Tricare, which is one of the Express Scripts clients are also the same health and prescription drug program for America’s military, that's why. Now patients could hardly see any savings at all when one thing that is quite obvious are the hassles they could get because of this big change.

Thankfully, Walgreens fully understands this dilemma and now they are offering special discount on the annual membership to the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. Join by all means this January and avail it for $5 or $10 for a family membership. By doing so, patients could enjoy the following benefits:

Savings on more than 8,000 brand name and all generic medications
Discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies
Bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services.

Don’t be left behind, get fresh updates about Walgreens by simply “liking” Walgreens on Facebook and follow tweets/updates from Walgreens on Twitter.

Soon My Son, But Not Yet Now

2012-01-14T23:58:00.000+08:00

My son arrived home from school the other day with an invitation on his hand. His former classmate invited him for her 7th birthday and he was handpicked by her to be one of her 7 Royal Gifts. He was excited and even asked me how many days before Leona's birthday come.:)

My son with his charming smile:)

This afternoon I accompanied him to the birthday party. He choose his own outfit and even asked me if he can use his dad's bling-bling. As I watched him get ready I told myself that I already have a "binata" lol! He looked charming and I am sure the celebrant will swoon when he sees him. Now, don't think that I am a bad mom wanting my son to know about crushes and likes. It's just that I knew that the celebrant likes him even when they were attending the same class. Her mom and I are actually not that close (I can't even remember having conversation with her during their Kinder days) so I knew it was really Leona who invited my son.

My son was hoping to see their other former classmates at the party. But we learned from her mom that Ciren was the only one invited from their batch. I was worried that he will get bored since he don't know the rest of the people invited but I was wrong, He was bubbly, active and participated as well to different parlor games. He only got to talk to Leona when he was called to give his royal gift. He was asked what he wanted to say to Leona and he said happy birthday in a voice that sounds like a grown up boy. The program continued and then it was eating time. Children were asked to remain seated because their foods were already placed on take-out boxes and will be served right on their table. Adults fall in line at the buffet table.

Kids were just playing around after eating and I decided that it's time to go home. Leona was walking around with her aunt I think and I asked the two kids to pose for the camera. Aren't they adorable? I can't help but imagine how will they react if they saw their picture 10 to 15 years from now lol!

As I looked back at my son's photo, I had mixed emotions. I was proud, nervous, scared, happy.. I don't know, because in my heart I know few years from now, he will be in charge of himself, a full independent man who wouldn't need his mom to be with him on parties. So for now, I'm gonna enjoy the days with my unico hijo, who wouldn't care if others would call him a "mommy's boy".

This Is So 2011.. I know :)

2012-01-12T21:29:00.000+08:00

I hope you won't yawn upon reading this super late post (bear with me please?). Okay here it goes. I'm gonna talk about how our Christmas 2011 and New Year celebration went. This will be a quick post anyway as I will let pictures tell it all :)

Christmas 2011

Before attending mass on Christmas day, our three kids found Santa's gift waiting for them in our living room. I caught that moment in video and here are some of their pictures:

my youngest daughter with her ultimate wish: a Baby Alive Doll

my second daughter got her own Baby Alive as well

hubby got his gift too, not from Santa but from Me:)

I was not able to take a picture of my son with his gift because we all rushed in dressing up to attend the early mass. The rest of the day was spent with my relatives on my Dad's side since it was also our Annual Family reunion. Oh and here's our family picture on Christmas 2011:

New Year 2012

2011 was a tough year for my family but glad we made it through. So the night before New Year's Eve, hubby and I talked heart to heart, made promises and agreed that we will make 2012 better than 2011. So on the eve of fireworks and overflowing of foods and lots of disposable plates and utensils (it's quite obvious that we all hate doing dishes on that night lol!), good vibes were also overflowing with me and hubby (hopefully until forever). The kids stayed awake until 12midnight and they enjoyed the fireworks their Dad bought. What wrapped up our New Year's eve was when we all went home and the kids were all asleep. Hubby tried to tighten up our faucet in the laundry area but unfortunately, he got the wrong move and water splashed on his face and body. Water also spilled inside the kitchen and the next scene was me, mopping the kitchen while hubby fixed the faucet. He was still wet and I kept on laughing at our scenario. He hugged me and said "Happy New Year". Then you know what followed next.... we SLEPT!*wink*

Family Picture on New Year's Eve 2012

It's still January so forgive me for the late greetings, Happy New Year everyone!

Kool-Aid for 2012.. Why Not?

2012-01-03T06:00:00.001+08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kool Aid for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Happy New Year everyone! Whew! I’ve been in a long Internet hibernation since the start of the Holiday Season and that means only one thing.. Lots of overdue posts to follow lol! Anyway, I guess most of us had gained extra pounds in line with the festivities that happened and as for my kids they also enjoyed the foods, the candies and other sweets that my relatives and friends gave them. One thing that they were not allowed having even though its Holiday season are soda drinks.

Fortunately, we never heard any complain from them because they love the refreshments that I prepared for them and you know what it is? Kool-Aid! Yeah I know, just reading that juice’s brand name instantly brings back the old times. Care to share one of your own memories with Kool-Aid? I personally remember having this drink placed in my Coolman mini jug during my elementary days and in varieties of flavour though orange flavour is my favourite. I actually do the same thing now with my preschoolers. Their snacks will never be complete without Kool-Aid inside their lunch box and I love it when they brag to their classmates how expert their mom is in preparing special drinks lol! Since Kool-Aid is so easy to prepare, I would often tell them that I can mix it even with my eyes closed.

It’s actually a fun thing for me to start the New Year with a flash back from the past and bringing Kool-Aid inside your home as 2012 comes in could never be even better than having sodas inside your fridge. Also, if you are like me who made a resolution to give myself a “me time” by watching movies once in a while, then you should check out Kool-Aid Facebook Page for schedules of upcoming Sunday movie nights. You just have to click the "Noches de Pelikoola" tab on their Facebook page and then you could download coupons and bingo cards you and your family could play.

Three Ways to Throw a Great Birthday Party on a Budget

2012-01-03T00:14:00.000+08:00

Guest post by Melissa C at Blog Content Guild

Some parents want to throw their children outrageous birthday parties, boasting acrobats and circus performers in decadent venues. So, should we feel guilty for throwing our child a low maintenance Super Mario birthday party every once in a while? Absolutely not! In fact, it’s completely possible to throw your son or daughter an incredible birthday party on a budget. Here are tips for making your child’s day special, without going broke:

1. Set Your Budget

As every budgeter knows, the first step to saving is setting a budget, right off the bat. How much can you afford? Set a number and stick to it. This will help you stay focused throughout the entire party-planing process. Buy party supplies on sale and always keep the receipts of your party purchases.

2. Do It Yourself

If you work full time, you may feel hesitant to do all of the party stuff yourself but, trust us, it pays to DIY! Take the time out of your day to bake your own cake. You can look up frosting techniques online and make it look just as great as if the pros had baked it. Plus, homemade cakes just about always taste way better (and fresher) than store-bought cakes. You should also make your own party invitations. Get creative with some nice heavy paper and a calligraphy pen. Parents and children will appreciate a hand-written, personalized invitation.

3. Limit the Guest List

Big parties may be fun and festive, but they’re also extremely expensive. Limiting your guest list to the select few will allow you to buy minimal amounts of food, cake, and party favors and, therefore, save some cash. Additionally, having a smaller guest list will also allow you to maintain a low stress level during hectic party times.

While you may see over-the-top, ostentatious children’s parties on TV, the reality is that your child will have just as good of time with a smaller, budget-friendly party.

Mommies Can't Be Sick

2011-12-21T00:46:00.000+08:00

As of this writing my fever had gone down from 38.6 to 37.5 (thank goodness!). After my daughter Erin got sick, it was followed by Cien, my youngest one. I guessed the culprit why I am the one who's sick now was the stress that I got from taking care of them in the span of two weeks. Nevertheless, I am thankful that my son and hubby was spared from getting ill (still keeping my fingers crossed).

Actually, the title "Mommies Can't Be Sick" above was my status post on my Facebook account this morning. And some of my fellow moms hit the LIKE button. It clearly shows that we, mommies, believed on the said predicament.

There could be chaos inside the household when moms are the one who got sick. Just imagine who would do the cooking (although in my case, I really don't cook so let me eliminate that), who would clean the house, who would take care of the kids, who would do the laundry and other household chores. I only have my mom to come over to our house to help me with some of my chores during weekdays. We don't have a house help which is actually an issue in our home since the kids got sick, to get one or not. I am the one who is against it but let me narrate the reasons why in a separate post.

The thought of lying in bed the whole day because of my fever doesn't appealed to me so I got up when hubby left for the office, took a bath (yes, even with fever) and did my usual chores. Good thing the kids preferred to stay with my mom's house except for Cien who stayed with me. I made sure to take my medicines on time though. Come late afternoon and my mom brought me soup in disposable bowl knowing that I wouldn't be able to wash the dishes after eating.

I guess I was fine when dinnertime came. Hubby came home with additional paracetamols for me then cooked our dinner. I am a lot better now which is obvious because I am here now, blogging. For fellow moms out there, let's stay well and healthy!

Seems Like Yesterday

2011-12-19T05:09:00.000+08:00

Six years ago I had this kid hidden on my tummy for five months since my parents don't know yet that I am pregnant. Even my office mates were clueless of why my tummy seemed to bulge and my boss even noticed that I am getting fat.

I couldn't take it anymore and so I left a note to my parents the morning that I went to my office and hinted my office mates that someone was pregnant inside our office. Finally, it was out in the open. I am carrying my first child from the man that I love which is now my husband.

Such a drama intro eh? I just couldn't believe how years passed and looking at my son now, he seemed to be a grown up already considering that he just turned six last month. These pictures were taken last week before he attend his Christmas party at their school. And I am so proud at how good looking he is and smart too (it's in the genes lol!)

I am sure, few more years and girls will be drooling just by looking from this handsome boy:)) And yes, his collections of cartoons in CD/DVDs are now passed on to his siblings since he already calls himself as a "big boy" now.

Erin's Christmas Party 2011

2011-12-18T03:01:00.000+08:00

Finally, it's my preschoolers' Christmas vacation already. Erin had their Christmas party this week and it was held at Jollibee Ever Gotesco Ortigas, the same venue last year. She was excited to wear her new clothes so here she is:

Her bangs was courtesy of my Aunt:))

The party started with an opening prayer from their teacher and then it was followed by games, raffle draws and a dance presentation. Erin was supposed to be in the dance but she got sick and wasn't able to attend the remaining rehearsals.

Christmas Dance Presentation from Kinder students

But I knew she enjoyed the fun and games especially when the star of the party came in and she got some photo opp with him:

Photo Opp with Jollibee

And then it was eating time! I barely touched my food since I was still full from our lunch that day so I just asked for a paper bag. I love how Jollibee promote take-out boxes that are made of paper unlike before where they used Styrofoam for their meals, as a mom I believe it is much safe for my children.

Enjoying her meal in a paper take-out box

When the party ended, Erin gave her gift to her teacher and then had their pictures taken. We didn't know yet if she would like it but a text message from her confirmed that she did! Here's her message: "Gud pm, touched naman po ako sa gift ni Erin, naiyak ako."

Curious of what she gave to her teacher? Check it out here: Christmas Gift to My Daughter's Teacher

Christmas Shopping for Our Kids

2011-12-12T04:11:00.000+08:00

Finally, hubby and I got the chance to sneak out last Saturday to shop for our kids' Christmas outfit. We tried to shop with them but with swarm of people inside malls in this kind of season, it's just impossible. Since it was a Saturday, we thought perhaps it's a little less crowded compared to shopping on a Sunday. But we almost turned our backs when we saw shoppers here and there and sales personnel were also everywhere. We only have few days left before Christmas so we braved the crowd and get inside SM Department store in Taytay Rizal.

It was supposed to be easy for us to look for our daughters' clothes but hubby and I have opposite tastes. He usually wants our daughters to look boyish like in a rugged outfit. Polo shirt and shorts or pants. While I want them to look girly-girly, you know in dresses, skirts, sleeves or backless blouses. Since I was the in-charge for their outfits this year, I get to choose what I want for them but still with his approval.

At times like this, the frugal mommy in me is in high alert so I scour for sale items first. And luckily I did found On Sale foot wear for the three kids. Let me share you what we shopped:

Florsheim Rubber Shoes for Ciren Php1,199.75

Florsheim Sandals for Cien Php800 (see the yellow tag?It's On Sale!)

Winnie the Pooh Sandals for my Erin Php300 (another sale find!)

Chuck Taylor Minnie Mouse Converse Shoes Php200

(Big, big discount on this, Original price was Php699)

Christmas Outfit for Erin

Moos Gear Dress Php449.75

Lizzie Backless blouse Php299.74

Barbie Long Sleeve Shirt Php299.75

Just Tees Maong Shorts Php249.75

Christmas Outfit for Cien

Winnie the Pooh Over-all Dress Php699.75

Barbie Dress Php229.75

Girl's Edition Owl Shirt Ph199.75

No clothes yet for our son because hubby said he will buy his shirts and pants at a Warehouse Sale of Le Tigre which is located near their office in Quezon City. He also found another great warehouse sale along E. Rodriguez which sells different kinds of dinnerware and other home furniture so he'll definitely be busy after office hours.

So, do you think I got great deals on our children's shoes and clothes? Feel free to comment.:)

Just a Systemic Viral Illness

2011-12-11T00:09:00.001+08:00

It's been three days since my daughter Erin had an on and off fever:( She wasn't able to take her exams and attend their dance rehearsals for their Christmas. So Friday morning, even though her temperature was normal and the rain was pouring, we went to her Pediatrician at Medical City in Robinsons Cainta.

As we waited for her, Erin and Cien kept on goofing around and making other patients smiled at them.

As per her Pediatrician's thorough check up, that is after checking her tonsils and other vital parts plus asking Erin if it hurts when she pee (she suspected Urinary Tract Infection at first) but got a "no" answer, she declared that it was just a Systemic Viral Illness. She said that in case she got fever again when we get home until the following day, she needs to have her blood check and other laboratory tests first. However if things go out fine, Erin only need to rest for the weekend and if we can, avoid bringing her into crowded places (parties/malls) for the meantime.

Erin during her check up

I was comfortable talking to her and since I am still clueless about what exactly a Systemic Viral Illness is, I asked her to explain it again to me.

Systemic Viral Illness- Fever that is caused by a virus is commonly termed Systemic Viral Illness or Influenza or Flu. Most commonly these viruses are Influenza A or Influenza B. The infection spreads fast via airborne droplets by coughing or sneezing and by direct contact. This disease is usually not serious among young and healthy adults, who normally recover from it even without treatment, but it can be fatal among the elderly and those with heart or lung ailments.

Symptoms: Fever, Chills, Body aches (joints and muscles), Red watery eyes, Cough, Congested or runny nose, Sore Throat, Headache, Tiredness, Weakness, Loss of appetite, Diarrhea

I usually make the most of our visit to my children's Pediatrician and so I also asked if Erin's weight is still normal for her age since she looks so skinny especially now that she's sick. She got her chart and checked Erin's records. She said that the ideal weight for a 4-year old was 16kg and my daughter weighs 15.8kg, so she's still on the normal range. However, when she checked Erin's height she was amazed at how tall she is. She was above the average height at her age and I said we usually get that kind of remark. I said it's in the genes since her dad was tall too, about 5'8".

I was relieved after her check up and since we haven't seen her Pedia for a long time, we chatted more about our kids. How they've grown already and how she's having her second baby. We bid her goodbye after that and off we headed to Jollibee since it was already lunch time. My two daughters were already waiving their disposable utensils at the crew and almost scream "we're hungry!" if I was a second late of warning them not to.

A Night Spent With My College Buddies

2011-12-06T02:27:00.000+08:00

I had a great time last Saturday because me and two of my college buddies finally meet up again after almost two years. It was a perfect time for me to relax and unwind. As a mom of three, I seldom go out with my friends. I actually had tight schedules but meeting up with these two girls was something I couldn't miss. And so after two months of planning and yanking the rest of our group members to join, it was just the three of us who had fun.

Best Night with my College Buddies

We decided to have exchange gifts just to add more excitement to our reunion and to have the spirit of Christmas with us. We met at Eastwood City Libis and dined at T.G.I. Friday's. We talked about anything, looked back at the times when we were in college. How we all struggled together just to be what and where we are now. We studied in a government subsidized university and we couldn't help but be amazed at how much we paid for our tuition fee during that time. Imagine, for a whole semester we would only pay more or less Php500. We were lucky enough if we could get a little "kupit" from our parents way back then.

Gifts for Exchanging

College days were financially tough for all of us but we all managed. We didn't care if our classmates wore the latest fashion outfit or if they have cellphones. We were contented to spend our break times chatting on our school ground or inside the canteen sharing our own homemade lunch packed in take-out boxes. It was a bliss for us just to be together.

My buddies are still both single but they are enjoying their career. It would be much fun for me if our "other" friend made it last Saturday since we were both married and we could exchange topics about marriage and parenthood. We talked about them being single instead while I shared few ups and downs of being married. As a friendly advice, I told them to just enjoy their current status because once they got married, it will be a whole lot different.

I'll be looking forward for another night like this girls!

Though one of our friend really loved to be with us, she just couldn't because she's in Germany. And so as per her request, we captured lots of photos for her viewing. And I believed she enjoyed our pictures. We had coffee afterwards at Starbucks courtesy of the highest earner among the three of us lol!

We parted ways with big smiles on our faces and with high hopes that someday, we will all be complete and those girls who didn't make it would also exert some effort to be reunited with us.

" Friendship is not how long u've been together, not how much u've given or received, not how many times u've helped each other, but it's how u "value" one another. "

I Am Joining BC Bloggers, You Should Too!

2011-12-05T04:08:00.000+08:00

As soon as December came in, I told myself that by next year, I want to make it big to the blogging world. I mean I want to increase readership for my three blogs especially this one and of course, more readers, more traffic mean more paid opps. Good thing I bumped into one of my co-mommy blogs and I saw that BC Bloggers is back. I actually had no idea about it so I read more from here http://www.mommydiary.net/. I read their mechanics and now here I am joining! Just also in time to let you know guys that I will soon re-arrange my blog list. I noticed some of those on my list are no longer active while some doesn't have my links in return:( So if you would like to be included on my new list feel free to send me a message/comment and I'll include you in it.

So if you are also like me who want to exchange links and increase traffic on your blogs, you should also join BC Bloggers as their mechanics are easy.