Mom from Manila

My Lucky Charm

2012-01-26T23:19:00.000-08:00

The year of the Black Water Dragon arrived last 23rd of January. The whole Chinese community was very busy decorating their areas and ensuring that their traditions are still being followed to a T. The Philippines, being a country that has Chinese as the biggest minority group, was not spared with all the happenings. What better way to show it than declaring that day as a special non-working holiday. The malls are ablaze with red lanterns and whenever you turn your head you will surely see someone wearing red. The Chinese not only believed that the color red signifies luck for the coming year, they also say that red drives away bad vibes and evil spirits. My kid was really excited when he saw this huge tree inside SM City Fairview with hanging Ang Paos. He thought that anyone who was at the mall is given the chance to pick one from the tree and take with it whatever was inside. I explained to him that it was just for display and pictorial purposes. When he heard it, he gamely posed in front of the huge tree and ask me to take his picture.

huge tree full of Ang Pao

Japanese not Chinese!

praying for a sibling, eh?

my very own Buddha, my lucky charm

He also asked us to pose for the camera as well.

Feng Shui experts say that this is an auspicious year, since a dragon is synonymous to prosperity. I claim that this year is going to be filled with more blessings not just for my family but for the entire country,not because I was boen in the year of the dragon but because I believe that every year is God’s year.

Remembering Delilah

2012-01-25T21:41:00.000-08:00

Our pit bull, Delilah, died about two weeks ago. She had been with the family for almost three years now. She was already a big dog when she was given to us by a family friend. I was actually hesitant especially since she is a pit bull. Pit bulls have been ill-known for their temper and their jaws that lock when they bit. You could perhaps see the scare in me especially since we are not the one that raised this dog. But that changed when I saw her. She was unlike other pit-bull that looked like they came from hell. Yes, she was muscular and she was bigger than other dogs. What really got me are her eyes. She has these puppy-eyes that you cannot resist. And she was really intelligent and well trained. She knows every member of the family, even those that rarely visits us. She can catch a ball and bring it back to you. And she easily stops barking with just a hiss from anyone of us. My kid loves her so much that he was the one that bathes her whenever possible. We were all sad when we woke up and saw her dead. We’ve been thinking what could have caused her death. She was just too playful when we arrived as always. We suspect, it could be old age, since she was already nine years old. Dogs are said to have a life span of eight to ten years depending on lifestyle. When she died, she was buried by Hubby and the kid even made sure that her tomb is marked. Now, the kid is asking me to get another dog. Should I give in? I guess I better do a lot of research first.

Pre Pregnancy Tips

2012-01-21T03:27:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned here, we are working on having another baby. This means frequent trips to the OB-Gyne. It is good that I have a cousin-in-law who is a professional on this field. I actually find it hard to open up things about sexuality on a person I know nothing about. On my last visit to her, she shared me some tips on how to improve the likelihood of being pregnant again. Since I have been diagnosed with PCOS, I was prescribed medicines to address the hormonal imbalance that is causing my menstrual dysfunction. I’d like to share some of her tips here.

Prior to being pregnant, a hopeful mom should ensure that she eats a healthy diet. It should have a good amount of protein and less in carbohydrates, especially for someone with PCOS because it is also said as a pre-Diabetic condition. I was told to ensure lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. And being the non-milk drinker that I am, I was sworn to drink at least a glass each day or take in calcium supplements.
I am also advised to monitor my body weight. I was shown how to compute my body mass index (BMI). She said that judging from my BMI, I am still in good shape.
We were also told to time our intercourse. She said most couple made the mistake of doing the deed everyday because they think it would give them the most awaited double lines. The truth is, doing it every other day throughout the month is better and ensuring that there is a contact on the week of the women’s fertility increase the chance of pregnancy.

There are still a lot of tips that we were told but I guess the above mentioned are the most important ones. To date, I am now three days delayed. I took a pregnancy test yesterday but it was a big fat negative. We are not losing hope though. If it’s not gonna be this month, there are still more months to come. God will surely deliver our baby in His time.

Mommy Moments: An Indian Boy

2012-01-20T05:06:00.000-08:00

My kid's school recently celebrated their foundation day. As always the school held a lot of activities for the kids to participate. The kid, together with his classmates, participated in the Annual Field Demonstration where each class presents a dance number choreographed by their advisers. Their teacher picked the song from the movie Pocahontas and aptly designed an American Indian costumes for the kids. Even if I am a working mom, I never failed to attend activities in the kid's school, most especially if he will be one of the performers. I know that it boosts his morale and makes him put his best foot forward. And yes, it was a great opportunity to document his school life. I have attach some photos of the kids with his friends.

My kid is already in fourth grade and I have seen how he was able to connect well with another kid in school. He has his own set of friends now and yes, he told me he has a best friend. He introduced me to his best friend way back on his third grade. They have been classmates since first grade. And looking at them in these pictures, I can see their similarities. I even kidded that they look like brothers. And yes, you are guessing it right! Both of them loves to eat. This is my first Mommy Moment entry for the year. Happy Chinese New Year to all the other MM participants.

Hoping for a Second Child

2012-01-18T01:50:00.000-08:00

A few years back we have decided that we wanted an addition to our little family. We were hoping that it would not take us too long as we got pregnant just after six months of being married. After a few months of actively trying without any positive results, we decided to go to an Obstetrician. I was then told that I was part of the 10% of the women population who is suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom (PCOS). The doctor said that I was lucky that I was able to conceive without any aids from fertility drugs. She told us that it is a condition that is the culprit to most infertility problem in women. She said my hormones are out of balance and that I need to drink different kinds of medications to balance them out. True enough after years of not using any contraceptives, we still are three. Except for that joyful daythat I had almost 3 years ago, we never saw two lines in a pregnancy test again. But the happiness lasted for just a few days, we lost the baby.

I am about to turn 36 in a few months time and though I find it too old for conceiving and giving birth, I find it rightful to give it another try for this year. Much for my son, than for us, because I am seeing how sad his situation is (and will be in the future)as an only child. So we then decided to again go seek medical help. I am now taking in medications which we hope could eventually give us that much awaited two lines. Hubby on the other hand is also requested to undergo some series of laboratory tests. And yes, we are praying really hard for another baby to come our way.

Back to Normal

2012-01-04T16:43:00.000-08:00

The fifth of January is mostly back to normal schedule for most of the moms. Our kids are now back to school and we are either left to tend to household chores or are back to work as well. My household is not yet through with the holiday buzz. This day is the 37th wedding anniversary of my mom and dad. If Mama was alive, the house could be filled with visitors once again. But since Mama is no longer around, a simple prayer will do. We will just light a candle for her and ask her to still guide us through this new year. The kitchen is still going to be bursting with the aroma of good food. I plan to cook something special for the family dinner. I will also bake something since tomorrow is my uncle's 63rd birthday and I promise to deliver some desserts for the party. Perhaps some cupcakes would be good especially if they will be frosted. Soon, I will have plenty of time for blogging as this year marks my return to being a work-at-home mom.

100 Days

2011-11-13T23:42:00.000-08:00

It has been years now that I have not been watching any local TV series. I remember back when Mama was still alive, we would sit beside each other and watch those teleseryes with so much gusto. I believe that the reason why I really stopped watching them is because I don't have someone to watch them with. I do not want my kid to be into these TV series so I really never encouraged him to watch them. until recently, Hubby discovered 100 Days to Heaven. It is the story about a filthy rich businesswoman who was plotted to die of a car accident but was rejected at heaven's gate. She was sent back to Earth to make amends with the people she had done wrong. It was something that we can share with our kid. It teach about being good and that we are only given one life so we have to use our talents and time to the fullest. It teaches how one mistake could actually create a string of different things and make a big difference. Hubby started watching it because he was more into the business ideas that the show was sharing. To be honest, the Philippines does not have any good stories for TV series but this one was done in good taste. It saddens me that it is about to end but that is really how things should be. Everything has to come full circle. I just hope that the show has implied their lessons on their audience. As for me, I was actually thinking what if I was the one who only had 100 days to live? How should I spend the days?

Hmm, Ikaw? Paano?

Random Characters

2011-11-08T22:13:00.000-08:00

One of my online accounts was hacked recently and because of that incident, I decided to change to passwords that is really hard to guess. I was thinking of random characters for a password and this came to my mind "MKE8VF5A3UH4". Now, the only thing left is for me to think of ways to remember if I make this my password.

Care to share how you remember your passwords?

MM: Allergy Attacks

2011-11-08T00:57:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday,we had Crabs in Salted Egg Sauce for lunch. The whole family was delighted to feast on the crabs specially the kid. He was even nostalgic because he remembered eating Black Pepper crabs in Singapore last year. After lunch, we took our afternoon nap. When I woke up, I fried the Turon with Bacon and Cheese and then wake the kid up and snacked on the turons. And since that was my rest day from work, I took a long ~~luxurious~~ bath. I was still inside the bathroom, when I heard the kid shouting how itchy his feet were feeling. Hubby told him that he left the door wide open hence mosquitoes are coming in and started to pester him. The kid knocked on the bathroom's door and then he shown me his feet. His feet started swelling and he complained of itching. I finish what I was doing and immediately handed him a teaspoon of sugar. I read somewhere (and a doctor confirmed) that sugar is the first aid treatment for someone being attacked with allergies. This is not the first time that he experienced the itchiness after eating seafoods. The first time was with tiger prawns. What bothers me is that each allergic attack seems worse than the previous one. He was not treated by the teaspoonful of sugar so to speak. I asked Hubby to immediately buy an antihistamine so can drink it. I was searching on the net for alarming symptoms. I read an article that mentioned that swollen mouth is a sign to be really alarmed off. I was not able to sleep the whole night even after the kid was able to drink his antihistamine. I was on the lookout of other sign that could be too alarming. Gladly, after the dose of antihistamine, the sweeling went down and the itchiness became bearable and he was able to sleep through the night.

I hate that this is my Mommy Moment for this week but yes this really is. To be honest it was the first time in this year that I was alarmed of his health. My kid hardly get sick apart from the usual cough and colds. I realized how important it is to know what foods and medicines would threaten the lives of our little ones. As a mom, we have to be really aware of the foods they are allergic too. I talked to my cousin who is a doctor and he told me that I still have to let him eat seafoods though in moderation. This would make his body to produce the antibodies for the allergens. I think it is call desensitization. Though, I always have to carry his antihistamine in our travel bag.

I learned my lessons now. I will always be on the lookout for allergic reactions especially with other seafood and will always make sure that we have available antihistamine wherever we go.

Vertigo, Here You Go Again!

2011-11-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

After almost four years of not having Vertigo attacks, it visited me again just last week. I almost forgot that I had vertigo till it paid another ugly visit on me.

Vertigo /ˈvɜrtɨɡoʊ/ (from the Latin vertō "a whirling or spinning movement"[1]) is a type of dizziness, where there is a feeling of motion when one is stationary.[2] The symptoms are due to a dysfunction of the vestibular system in the inner ear.[2] It is often associated with nausea and vomiting as well as difficulties standing or walking.

When it showed up four years ago, sysmptoms were rare but I got really scared. Apart from the nausea and vomiting, I loss my sight for about ten minutes. Unluckily, I was alone in the house that day. I was blind but had to find my way to grab the phone and call my husband ~~and the office because I was supposed to have my shift in 3 hours~~. When hubby came in, he saw me crying in the room, vomiting on the side and confused on what I should do. Since, I do not know yet that it was vertigo, I was thinking what could have happened to me. My world was literally spinning. I could not even stand or walk without any help. I need someone to hold on to just to stand up. When the blindness went away, I asked Hubby to accompany me to the nearest hospital. When we get there, the ER doctor asked me to lay down and gave a shot of some medications. I fall asleep and when I woke up, I was told they gave me relaxants and I was told I had to take in some meds for the next two weeks. I was also told to limit coffe or any caffeinated drinks as studies are showing that caffeine heightens the attacks of vertigo in some patients. That was the last time I experienced vertigo till last week. Early morning when I got up from bed, I already felt dizzy. I didn't think that it was vertigo already. I was able to go to work though I cannot say that I function properly. I was burdened not just with dizziness but with occasional urges of vomiting as well. When I was on my way home, I was yawning a lot in the train and even in the jeepneys. When I arrived home, the dizziness heightened up and was already creating a lot of discomfort on me. Needless to say I was able to sleep but I was not able to get up the next day. My head is spinning so is my world. It was as if the whole area revolves. I dreaded another atack of vertigo but true enough like other illness it will strike you when it is least expected, when you are to busy worrying about a lot of things. Yes, the doctor said the main reason why I had the attack was because I was to stressed. Yes, it is indeed my body's way of telling me to lighten up and take some rest. The sad part is that I had to bear the agony of vertigo because I am not to take any anti-vertigo pills since I am also trying to conceive. Doctors tell me just to rest and take some leave from work. If the attacks heightens, I can take as much as one pill a day just to lower down the dizziness.

Guess, I might be staying home for the next couple of months.

MM: Mama's Birthday

2011-11-04T17:55:00.000-07:00

This day could have been Mama's 54th birthday, but she is celebrating her birthday without us. Instead of the usual videoke feat that the family used to have whenever he natal day came, she is being sung to by angels. Instead of the usual food , she is enjoying food for the soul. Yes, she is no longer with us. The last birthday she celebrated with us was her 50th. It was really a blast. All her loved ones were there. I was able to bring in her friends from her heydays. I was really exhausted that day ~~even a week before the big event~~. I supervised everything: from foods, to her clothes, to the visitors. It was to repay all the wonderful birthday memories I had that she was able to give me; from my 1st, my 18th and even to those that I was spending away from her. And it was not only my birthdays that she made special, even those of my brothers and that of her only apo, my son. She never failed to remember cooking our favorite dishes during our birthdays. So, on her 50th birthday, we gave her what we could give back.

We called all her dearest friends, gave her sisters from Pangasinan and Cebu their fare so they could attend. We bought her a three-tiered cake, which she really adored. His brothers danced with her ala cotillion. Their were roses for the wishes and balloons for more wishes. We were able to show her how important a person she was and how she touched a lot of lives. But, we did not know that was going to be her last. She joined her creator six months after her 50th birthday. But up to this day, she is remembered during her birthday and each day. On top of anyone else, I look up to her as the ideal mother.

Mama, I know you are still there looking down on us, guiding us in your own way. I know, we had our times of disagreement but I know as well that even before I asked for forgiveness, you've already embraced me including all those faults. I hope I am making you proud with how I am fulfilling my job as a mother to my son now. I am so blessed to have you as my mother and I would not want anyone else. I love you, Mama.

A story behind each picture

2011-10-27T20:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we are not on our best looking attires and the lighting does not seem to be favorable but the reason why I have this as one of my favorite pictures is because of the fact that I know we could no longer have a "complete" family picture because Mama is no longer with us. I know that photo editing soft wares could easily insert her image to any image that we want to have but the difference is that it will not capture the joy of the moment. Like this picture which was taken on Mama's last Christmas.

For the same reason that I love this picture of my ~~little one~~ kid. His smile shows innocence, his eyes shows how untainted his knowledge about how this world works. If I could just hold him on my arms like that, I would; but yes, I know I couldn't.

Indeed, a picture paints a thousand words. I am sure there would be a lot to see on other mom's site, too.

Cooking Up a Party

2011-10-23T00:45:00.000-07:00

Yes, I was born during the time where acronyms seems to be a phenomenon. Back during the 70's (oh, well I believe it was until the 80's), people seem to look at acronyms as the easiest way to remember a name of an organization or even an entire phrase or paragraph. It was so "in" that even teachers were using it to teach kids how to memorize meanings of words or steps in a scientific process. It was because of this fame (or infame), that most of barkadahans during those times have names concocted using the first initials of the members of the group. Ours was different though, we call our group, the Fruit Salad. We thought of baptizing the group that name after thinking that each member is different but just like those fruits in the fruit salad, you tend to look for them when they are not present.

What excites me these days, is that in a few months time, we are going to have our annual get together. We always have one big get-together during Christmastime. As I have mentioned, we have become one big happy family . Now like all families we have our own reunions those times. It is something to look forward to as someone gets to be added in every now and then. A new wife, a new husband and yes a new baby, is always a happy addition. This year, I am entrusted to be the PR manager of sorts for the event. I am tasked to coordinate with the entire group which means I need to send email blasts and text blasts. But, it is something that I won't mind doing.

I am also on the lookout for games and activities for the entire day? Hmm, our own version of the famous Pinoy Henyo,perhaps? For the kids, I am going to prepare a cupcake tower and I am asking one of the ladies to bring in the chocolate fountain. For the male spouses, lots of food to eat (and booze, perhaps!). The girls, oh, I am sure they will be happy with all the stories and the foods and the gifts.

Let's talk favorites

2011-10-13T23:45:00.000-07:00

The name of my top favorite product is BumbleBro, he is our ever trusted Honda Bravo who will turn five by January next year. He never lets us down and we can always trust him, be it a smooth ride or a rough one. He was named by my son after BumbleBee, the transformer robot-guardian of Sam Witwicky in the movie Transformers and we talked to him like a real person. I always asked him to take care of Hubby whenever he brings him to work. We always thanked him after bringing us all safe to home and Hubby ensures he gets his daily bath. He is also pampered by a weekly treat to the carwash. I would not be a hypocrite and say that I don't want to have a true BumbleBee (who would not want a Camaro, eh!?) but what I can assure BumbleBro is that I would not trade him for whatever car, he will always be our BumbleBro.

After BumbleBro, the laptop I am typing with comes next. I loved that it makes me connected with people from different locations and that I can journal my thoughts with it. It that he keeps all my files, photos and documents, intact.

Then, there comes Picasa, a software that allows not only photo storage but also photo editing. It is what I used to watermark my images. I have also edited some pictures though it. It is also nice that you can easily connect and upload to your online Picasa website with just some click of buttons on their interface.

Next, comes my wedges. Wedges are like my everyday shoes. You see, I was one of those ladies not really blessed with good height. I stand only 5 feet 2 inches tall. ~~Hubby is beside me and is whispering don't lie, you're only 5 feet flat.~~ And hence I needed something to make me look a little bit taller. After giving birth nine years ago, high heels and stiletto shoes became uncomfortable for me. Imagine a mom with a kid in tow and a big baby bag on her shoulders wearing a 3 inch shoes. That would be hurtful and a total inconvenience. Good thing that the wedges came to the rescue. Stilettos and high heels are just for, uhmm, formal occasions now. I now have 5 pairs of wedges and wanting to buy another one.

Hmm, I wonder what other mommies consider their favorite products.

MM : Food, Movies and Scrapblogs

2011-10-07T22:03:00.000-07:00

I so love the theme of this month's Mommy Moments. Mommies will be talking about the least of the person they are concerned about, themselves. Admit it or not, mommies, in the course of taking care of their families,most often that not, forget about themselves. We normally drown ourselves with the needs of our family that a lot of times we forget that we are also in need of some pampering.

For this week, let us talk about our hobbies. Ever since I could remember, I have always been a foodie. I love to eat though a lot of those who know me personally says that my body is really good in not showing it. Apart from consuming food, I also love creating them. Yes, I love to cook and bake. If given the chance to study again, I would definitely love to go to a culinary school. Our kitchen is always busy especially during my restdays because that is my haven. It is where I find peace and I love the aroma of food from my own kitchen. I am so into cooking that I decided to devote my second blog to my second love. I hope you could drop by Mom from Manila Cooks.

Apart from food, other things that occupies my time are movies and TV series. Right now, I am so into the Vampire Diaries that even Hubby gets excited when I tell him that a new episode is about to be shown. I also love musicals so I easily got hook with Glee. When it comes to movies, we mostly watched sci-fi but when I am with Hubby, we both love romantic movies such as The Notebook, our fave of all-time. I am also always on the look out for new cooking shows or new episodes of the old ones. My personal favorite would be Chef Michael Smith's Chef at Home. Just recently, my attention was also caught by one local teleserye, 100 days.

I also love to do online scrapbooking. I really don't do this most of the time but it is one of my stress relievers. I feel so creative using this online scrapbooking tools. in the future, i wanna learn how to use photo editors like Gimp or Photoshop.

If you wanna know what other things we are best in doing apart from parenting, just head on to Mommy Chris' site.

Awareness about the Big C

2011-10-02T23:38:00.000-07:00

I was blogwalking through other Mommy blogs and I came across another Pinay mom blogging about Cancer awareness. Now aside from breastfeeding, cancer awareness is another advocacy that I want to push through. Nine years ago, I came to realize that the Big C can actually creep into anybody's life. Our Mom was diagnosed with Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor, a rare type of cancer that attacks the nerves. Prior to her diagnosis, we never really know what Cancer was. All we know is that it exists and some are stricken and yes, I have to admit that I was thinking it was "sakit na pang-mayaman lang". But, no, that really is not the case. When Mom was diagnosed she was, I could about to enter the prime of her life. My youngest brother was about to graduate from college the following year, which for her, could mean, that she was also about to graduate from her responsibility of sending us to school. She could have enjoyed the life meant for her had it not been for the Big C. We have a lot of plans that never pushed through because the funds had to be diverted on her medical expenses. It was a painful experience specially for me, because I was the one that was tasked to look for other means to get additional assistance for her. I lined up in PCSO's office, the congress and yes I was the one who always talked with doctors. I educated myself regarding medical terms, and I was thankful that Google was already there to help me out. Now, apart from the burden of looking for additional assistance, I also appointed myself as my mom's personal caregiver. I was the one who bathe her, fed her and gave her medicines. For me, it was my way of showing my affection and it was my way of giving back all the attention that she had given the entire family. And yes, I was doing all these things while I was also taking care of my new bown baby then. Mama was never a hard patient to deal with. She would obliged drinking whatever medicines that she is given, eating all the foods she is told to consume. Cancer made us suffer financially, I would say. But, it was also Cancer that brought the bond of our family even closer. We learned how to say the rosary as a family. We learned to live life fully day in and day out. We learned to celebrate each milestone, however small it was. We learned that we can only depend on each one. And, in that in the end, we were able to realize how lucky we are for having Mama as our mother. We witnessed how other people loved her and how she was able to make a difference in those person's lives. Help came pouring in up until the time that she already passed away. Not necessarily financial help but prayers. And for us, for me, that was what we really need then.

Yes, Cancer could have taken her from us but the Big C did not took her memories with it. Her memories will remain forever. This is the reason why each time I know someone stricken with Cancer, I always tell them the story of my Mom, a story of a person who battled the disease for almost six years. The very reason why I am joining fellow bloggers for the Charity Blogging for Cancer Awareness. I would like people to know that it is indeed true that Cancer could take the people we dearly care about but it can be prevented. We just have to be aware of what we eat, our lifestyle and specially how we take care of our bodies.

Come December a whole day affair for for cancer patients and survivors. There will be freebies, contests and performances. To all Mommy bloggers out there, let us take time to help out cancer patients. Let us make use of our power to spread the word. Please go to Life and Fever to more about this upcoming event and how we can help.

Mommy Moments: Parenting Tips

2011-10-01T22:45:00.000-07:00

When I gave birth nine years ago, I was really clueless on parenthood. I just know that I will eventually become so attach to the little one and that I will be depended on by this little being for the next couple of years. I was actually having mixed emotions because I know that a child is a happy addition to our family and because at last I can now fulfill the dreams of any sane woman, to become a mother. But, I also know that the child would come to the world without a manual and that it is something that cannot be disposed of if you happen to see any defects or if it malfunctions. It is also something that cannot be returned to the manufacturer for warranty or part replacement. You just have to take them on an "as-is-where-is" terms.

The good part is that once you become a parent, you will realize that you are capable of loving another person unconditionally. Yes, there are times that the kid appear to be so makulit that I tend to be pikon of all of his mischievousness. But, at the end of the day, when I tuck him to bed, I realize that I would not trade anything in this world for him or even for an additional kid.

I know that this is supposed to be a parenting tip but I guess any parent would agree that each day with our kids is a learning experience. And that each of us, will have to have a different style of parenting depending on the type of kid that we are dealing with. But I'd say that to new parents I will always tell them these; Seize your moments with your kids and live it to the fullest because life is really to short not to enjoy every single moment we have with them. Let us not be parents that are willing to work hard for the future of these kids but instead let us be with them on each of their tiny steps and until they leap to their own boundaries. After all, that is the essence of being a parent, to be able to guide a child through this labyrinth we call life.

Now, I am headed to see more parenting tips from other mommies.

Anti Planking Bill, Seriously?

2011-09-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

QC representative Winnie Castelo has filed an Anti-Planking bill. He said he was urge by his parental conscience after seeing some students planking in those busy streets last Monday during the height of the transport strike.

“Parents and teachers have reason to be alarmed if these similar protest actions will have as a scheme and scene otherwise warm and living bodies laid down across street highways as though they were offerings to the gods,” Castelo said in the explanatory note of House Bill 5316.

“The parent in me tells me that this precedent in the case of the this massive transport strike where militant street protesters who are students of various schools have to lie down or serve as ‘planks’ across the road to disrupt what should be normal traffic could just be very dangerous in the future. Life and limb are pretty much at risks here were unbelieving bus drivers or law enforcement authorities might just ram through these warm and living bodies rolled out on highways”, Castelo added.

To be honest, I first heard the word planking from Vice Ganda and it was used to describe what the show contestants was doing on stage. At first I thought is was appropriate to say that is has the same meaning as tumbling. But, when I heard about this law, I eventually seek the help of my friend ( well, our friend really!) Google and look for the meaning of the word. And found its meaning as follows:

Planking (noun) - throwing or setting down clumsily or casually ; to lay horizontally across any object or the ground with their arms by their sides, aiming to occur in daring situations or a brotherly display of core-strength.

Yes, I agree to what the good representative was trying to point out. Putting myself in the shoes of the moms of those students, maybe I will even thank him for thinking about the welfare of my child. But bringing in some bill like this to our congress is like a joke. I am not saying that it will not do any good to our country because I believe that in its very little way it could. What I am emphasizing is that our country needs bills more than this one. Perhaps, bills that would alleviate the status of the education system of our country or a bill that would perhaps bring in more opportunities to people living in the province so they don't have to go to Manila just to find a job, and yes not even a decent job at that!

Wordless Wednesday: Red

2011-09-13T23:54:00.000-07:00

Red Velvet Dream come True

** will post the recipe by friday!

Mommy Moments: Financial Tip

2011-09-04T00:09:00.000-07:00

This blog has not been written on for the last three weeks. I had a very bad experience with my previous internet service provider and had already finished my contract with them. I am now looking for a new internet company and hopefully will get my new connection within the first two weeks of September. I was browsing through my favorite blogs today and cannot pass on this week's theme for the Mommy Moments, hence, I am joining the fun.

So how do I teach my kid about finances?

1. I make grocery time a bonding and educational time for us. I let him check out on the price of our commodities. If the items are not too much, I ask him to list down the prices and them sum them up before going to the counter to pay the amount. And oh, did I already share that we do our grocery as a family? That way each one will have his say on what things to buy and the things that we could avoid buying.

2. He does have his own piggy bank. And he only puts ten peso coin on his piggy bank. He said he is saving for Christmas presents. Last year, he was able to buy his gift to Lolo, Dada and Mama from his savings.

3. I always tell him that he needs to either save or work for things he would like to have. There are times that we went to Toy Kingdom and he was asking if we could buy a Transformers toy. I said not until I see that his exams are okay. It made him realize that most of the times you will have to work to get what you would like to have.

4. It is also a common practice in the household to only get enough food that you can consume. We do not allow anyone to have left overs on their plate. This educates him not just about the value of money that was used to pay for the food but for the food on his plate as well.

5. Every June when school year opens, I also make it a point to instill the value of thriftiness. We do not buy him new uniforms and new shoes or bags if he can still use his old ones. I don't think it is depriving him on what he ought to have but more of letting him know that he needs to take care of his belongings because he will still be using most of them the next school year.

I would say that my Mom instill in us the value of each cent earn, maybe because early on in our life we were already taught to handle our own finances. She even sends us to the market to buy stuffs for our little sari-sari store then and we had our schedule of who will attend on the store. I am just passing them on to my kid now. For more tips on how to teach kids about the value of money, head on to Mommy Chris' site.

Wordless Wednesday: Hongkong Disneyland

2011-08-17T03:29:00.000-07:00

My kid enjoying his birthday with Mickey Mouse and the whole Disney gang. Thanks to my brother for sponsoring our Hongkong trip.

To homeschool or not

2011-08-16T00:08:00.000-07:00

I was watching a rerun of a local documentary show the other day and it really made me think about homeschooling. Yes, it was a re-run. I checked and found out that it wasd originally shown on national TV about five to six years ago. Yet, the message of the show still echoes to this day. It was pointing out the differences between the sexes inside the school premises. It pointed out that girls are working harder in schools as compared to boys. It even stated that girls are always outnumbering the girls in higher sections. It was alarming on my end, maybe because I have a young boy in school as well. I recalled how my boy was doing the past few years he had been in school. It made me realized that for the past few years those that are getting honors in their schools are mostly girls. An education specialist even stated on the show that men are born to have shorter attention span as compared to their counterpart. Boys are not good in symbols and this includes letters and numbers. But boys are always seen to excel in things where they do not only use their mind but their physical strength as well. Hmm, maybe the reason why most of our athletes are men. So, how did homeschooling came into the topic. You see, when you homeschool a child you work at the pace of that particular child. You do not subject a child to learn faster because others are learning that way. In homeschooling, parents as teachers, can work on what motivates a child and on what gets his attention. Yes, there are also set of curriculum for homeschooling but the good is that you can design your lessons to fit these curriculum and at the same time making your lessons enjoyable to your kid.

I am still way to far to homeschooling my kid. I mean, I would love to, but our schedules might not make it work for us. Perhaps , next year, we are going to give it a try.

Wordless Wednesday : Little Fireman

2011-08-10T02:18:00.000-07:00

Taken at the Museong Pambata ( National Children's Museum ). This is my little guy trying on a fireman outfit. He was very excited about it and kept on bugging me if we can visit the museum again. Hmm, which reminds that I do not have office work for tomorrow. Might as well give in to the kid's request.

Wordless Wednesday: Eight Years Ago

2011-08-03T00:56:00.000-07:00

Happy 9th birthday,baby! Mama loves you so much!

Hello August!

2011-08-01T05:09:00.000-07:00

August to the Chinese is their ghost month. They believe that it is on this month that deceased, including their ancestors, visit the world again. To our Muslim brothers, this year they are celebrating this month as their Ramadan, their Holy Month of Fasting. For my family, August is also a very special month. A lot of family members, are celebrating their birthdays this month. It also reminds me about the greatest mystery of my life, that is being a mother. You see, I gave birth to Jian on the 3rd of August, 2002. Yes, the kid is about to turn nine two days from now. He is no longer the little baby that I used to carry and fed from my bosom. He had grown to be the intelligent little guy that he is. August always reminds me that he was inside my womb for nine months. It also reminds me that I exclusively breastfed this little man for almost two years. If there was one thing I could be proud of being a mom, it would not be the times that I have been with him while he was growing up but it would be those breastfeeding sessions that I had had with him. I know that not all mothers can produce enough milk for his growing baby's need and I sure am one of those few who were able to do the job. That is something that I would always look back when he gets old. Nothing beats those bonding moments. So for those upcoming moms reading my words, I do hope you consider to feed your kids with your own milk. I can only assure you two things, a healthy kid and a happy mom. To those who were able to breastfeed their young ones, I salute you. Before I end, I would like to invite you all to come over to Mommy Milkshake Year 5 . It will be a family fun run for breastfeeding. Just click on the thumbnail image below for other details.