Story Book Mom

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.

Reminiscing Hubby’s Old Passion Through Online Bingo

2011-12-03T00:02:00.000+08:00

“Would you like us to stop by here and play?” This is always hubby’s line whenever we pass by Bingo Lane inside malls or those along our way to work. He would then narrate me (again) his passion for Bingo games when he was younger. He said that it was his way to unwind and relax from his work since he was not in any relationship during that time. It was no big deal whether you came in there alone or with a companion since playing is all that matters. As his wife I wanted to give in sometimes to his request and play with him but honestly, what stops me from giving in is I don’t know how to play that game. As an Internet junkie, I often read that playing online bingo at OnlineBingo.com is fun and so I had a bright idea.

I believe that sharing your better half’s passion is one way to make your relationship grow stronger. It may not be interesting for me but to see him happy and reunited with his “old past time” is enough reason for me to find out what’s up with playing bingo. One night, when I asked him if he would want to play online bingo after I tuck our kids into bed, his eyes widened and said “Is there’s such a thing? Is it possible?” (That’s how clueless he is when it comes to the Internet). I answered yes and he was all excited and couldn’t wait till the kids were all asleep. He even prepared our midnight snack and as we both sat down in front of our laptop and started playing, he said thank you to me. He was very amused at how I managed to find things on the net like how I found free online streaming for boxing games and now an online bingo where he could play all he want anytime of the day or night.

We're Braided!

2011-11-28T02:37:00.000+08:00

As I mentioned before, I have been enjoying YouTube this past weeks and I found Cinthia Truong's channel showing different hair tutorials. I showed it to my kikay daughter Erin and she loved her too! Last Saturday, after she and her sister finished their bath and before they ran off to play, I tried doing some braids on their hair. I had to bribe both of them with Nova snacks before they let me touch their hair.

Cien was cooperative enough and I didn't take long on her because she has short hair. Erin on the other kept on complaining that it hurts when I comb and tug her hair, she has thin hair unlike her sister. Finally, I was finished. And of course, to further convince them that braid looks good on them and that they should keep it intact as they play, I braided my hair too. Here's how our braided hair look like:

We're Braided! :))

I found other cool videos that I want to copy on CDs so I could also watch them on our player. I know there are ways where I could burn YouTube videos into any CD/DVD because my former boss told me about it, I'm just lazy to search for it on the Internet.

Ended the Weekend Together

2011-11-28T01:29:00.000+08:00

Weekend is over once again and I am just thankful to God that what seemed to be another "not so good" weekend turned out to be a happy bonding day for me and my family. I'm glad that I followed some friend's advice to remain calm and composed in times of trials and tests. As for me, I found it more relieving if I could blurt out what I really feel and then I'm okay:)

After having lunch at my mom's place, we decided to spend the afternoon at SM. Hubby wanted to buy a small Christmas tree and some decorations for the upcoming holidays. And of course he also wanted to buy new sets of tableware (again), but this time he wanted it to be colorful and with print designs. At first I was not in the mood but with our kids begging me to take a bath and fix myself, who am I to disappoint them? So I did got up and fixed myself, prepared their clothes and off we went to the mall.

Photo Opp at SM's Icy Wonderland attraction

There were plenty of people when we got there (what can we expect, it's Christmas season!). We had some photo opp with SM's Icy Wonderland attraction before we headed to the department store. My son asked us if he could just play some video games somewhere inside the mall with my mom to watched over him. We let him as me and my hubby together with our two girls looked for Christmas decorations. Unfortunately, the two princesses were attacked by their tantrums and we couldn't helped it but to cancel shopping and pick up my mom and our son so we could just have an early dinner instead. Ciren was just about to start playing when we came back so we had to wait for him, with Erin and Cien doing their drama on the side.

After that, we dined in at Savory and by that time our actresses were both pacified. Perhaps they were just hungry hence the reason for their tantrums. I loved how our family pictures turned out. We looked all happy and as if it's telling me that we could brave all storms that will pass as long as we remained together.

" Our family is a circle of strength.. Every crisis faced together, makes the circle STRONGER.."

Thank You Playmates

2011-11-27T03:32:00.000+08:00

My two and a half year old youngest daughter Cien is very clingy to me unlike her two other siblings. I believed it is because I breastfeed her for the longest time and in fact she's still nursing from me during the night. She had a taste of powdered milk for a week I think when she was an infant and she couldn't take it so since then our freezer were always filled with my expressed milk stored in bottles.

It seems like she can't get enough of me most of the time especially when I'm off from work that even when I have to pee, she would still accompany me inside our restroom. My mom told me to wean her since she's a big girl now but I told her I want Cien to initiate it. It is for my selfish reason that I love how we bond during our nursing session. How she would choose to nurse from me, she would say "dudu bed" then we will both lie on bed or if she wants me to carry her like a baby she would say "sto mo, dudu..baby?" We make conversations during this bonding time and I love to hear her ask me "apos?" and "batet?" whenever I tell her stories.

Just last week, when she tagged along with her sister Erin with their plates and plastic cutlery toys at tow, she became friends with her sissy's friends too. And I love how it keeps her distracted from me while they are playing. Now I can hang my laundry without her holding the end of my shorts, I can cook quick meal, I can even sneak in to my laptop without her tapping along with the keyboard and many other things. She really is a big girl now. Below is a photo of my daughters together with their playmates. Those two little girls almost look like my Cien because they all got chinky eyes unlike my daughter Erin who got her eyes from me lol!

from the left: my daughter Erin (4 y/o),

their playmate Ruth (5 y/o),

her sister Abby (3 y/o) and my

youngest daughter Cien (2 1/2 y/o)

Hailed As Top 2

2011-11-25T01:45:00.000+08:00

I am so blessed to have smart and good looking kids (I believe all parents could claim that statement). Last Friday I went to my eldest son's school to pick up his report card for their 2nd Grading Period. With the result of his tests which unfortunately went down from 97% to 90%, I already psyched myself that he's no longer on their Top Student's List unlike before where he was hailed Top 1. I felt guilty because I know it was my fault. I became too busy with all of Erin's activities and I only gave little time to review him for his exams.

As I entered their room, I saw the list on their door and my son's name was there, he's on Top 2. That made my day and was even more excited to chat with his teachers. His two teachers were all hyper in telling me how my son was in school. They commended his willingness to learn and the way he behave in school. As always, they said that he was the strict kind of student. He acts like a mature kid that he doesn't seem like a 6 year old. He reads very well that even before his teacher reads the instructions on their test paper, he's already answering his exams. It took me less than an hour chatting with them. As I walked home, I was already thinking of what could I give my son as a reward. I saw a very cool lunch box with a Ben10 print in SM last week and it comes with a set of plastic cutlery and perhaps he would love it, after all he's a Ben10 fanatic and it would be a great addition to his collections.

I Was Invited for An OFF Lotion's Tea Party

2011-11-24T02:47:00.000+08:00

I never regret sharing my story in the web and I could say that I love being a mom blogger! I also love how I earn money through blogging plus the perks and freebies that I get from people who read my posts (advertisers, event organizers, followers and even those occasional readers).

Just this afternoon I received a call from Ms. Maris of Nuffnang asking me if I received their invite for their OFF Lotion's Tea Party. Unfortunately, I was clueless that moment since I haven't checked my email yet. She was nice and friendly and just told me that I could reply to the email and confirm if I could come or not. Sad to say I have few mommy errands on Saturday and I don't think I can make it in time to the said event.

OFF Lotion's Tea Party Invitation

This was not the first invite that I got because weeks ago, I also got an email and a call from Ms. Alex of Yehey! informing me that I got three free movie tickets to a Winnie the Pooh Movie. It also falls on a Saturday and unfortunately, Saturday was my busiest day and I was also not able to pick it up from her.

I know I'm missing out a lot of fun from being a mom blogger because I often reject these invites but I promised myself that the next time I receive invitations again, I'll grab that chance and find time to interact with my co-mommy bloggers. Fortunately, there are few times that I got package of goodies like free samples of diapers, a can of milk, sets of disposable cutlery for babies and other stuff straight to my doorstep from advertisers who happened to drop by my blog and that's what you could really called FREEBIES!

I really love blogging!

How to Chase Away Bad Dreams

2011-11-23T02:30:00.001+08:00

For weeks now, my two children would often wake up in wee hours, get out of our room and will look for me in our living room where I work online. Upon seeing me still awake, Ciren or Erin would tell me that he/she had a bad dream and that it keeps on coming back every time they tried to sleep again. What I'll do is tell them that they are just bad dreams and they are not true. Then I'll stop working, tucked them into their bed until they fell asleep again. It happened again as of this writing. Erin asked me why even though she prayed to God to take away her bad dreams she still had them. I would usually asked my kids if they watched scary movies in CD/DVD or if they played too much that day. Sometimes, their bad dreams are not about monsters or scary creatures but about their playmates not giving their toys, their uncles not buying them candies.. stuff like that but still they are bad dreams for my children and I want to help them overcome that fear.So, after I gave her a glass of water, let her pee and scratched her back until she fell asleep, I seek answers from Google.

I typed: how to chase away children's bad dreams, and luckily I found an interesting article about it and I want to share it with you (in case your children are in the same situation as my kids are):

* * *

Children suffer more frequent nightmares than their parents and, prior to the age of six, nightmares are especially common. As soon as your child can speak, he or she may wake with a one or two word tale of a wolf or ghost. There is even speculation among specialists in child development that the sleep disturbances of infants in the first year of life may be wordless nightmares.

The Four R's That Spell Nightmare Relief

There are many potentially beneficial nightmare remedies that parents, family members, and even siblings can use to help a child break the spell of a disturbing nightmare and transform terror into creative breakthroughs. In order to soothe the lingering terror and banish the demons of the night, you must learn the Four R's that spell nightmare relief for your children. They are REASSURANCE, RESCRIPTING, REHEARSAL AND RESOLUTION.

Reassurance is the first and most important dimension of remedying children's nightmares. This includes "welcoming the dream" with special emphasis on physical and emotional reassurance, which will calm your child's anxiety and help them feel safe enough to give details about the nightmare and be open to further exploration.

Everyone has nightmares and no one has to bear the pain without help. Reassurance quells the post-nightmare jitters and allows you and your child an opportunity to discover both the creative possibilities and the source of what sparked the nightmare that may still be disturbing your child.

Rescripting means inviting and guiding your child to imagine changes in the outcome of their dream by reenacting or rewriting the plot. Even with young children, rescripting is most effective when it is a collaborative process of brainstorming together. The most well known form of rescripting is creating one or more new endings for a dream using art work, fantasy, drama, and writing.

Rehearsal is practicing solutions to a nightmare's various threats. Going a step beyond the new endings or magical tools used in rescripting a nightmare, rehearsal involves repeating the dream and its solutions in various forms until a sense of mastery or accomplishment has been achieved. This stage parallels the stage of psychotherapy called "working through," where for adults, the insights they have gained need to be put to the test--at first in the relationship with their therapist and gradually by practicing new forms of relating with others and experiencing themselves in new ways.

Resolution is the final stage of alleviating the haunting spell of a nightmare. Discovering the source of the nightmare in your child's life and working towards acknowledging and even correcting the life problem that has caused the nightmares are preliminary steps. Resolution can only come after a child feels secure enough (reassurance) to explore new solutions through art, writing, drama, and discussion (rescripting) and has practiced those solutions (rehearsal) with a parent or adult guide.

If you want to read more about this topic you could go here.