60th Birthday Surprise!

Unlike most women having trouble with the mother of their husband, I am just so glad and thankful to have a very loving and supportive mother-in-law. She celebrated her birthday this month, 60^th! So when my sister-in-law asked me to help her plan and set-up a surprise for the celebrant, I immediately said yes. Of course I would love to make her birthday extra special as well.

Baby on the Phone

It’s amazing how cute little babies try to imitate our actions and sounds. They really could, in a much funny way! I remember how Sophia at 10 months used to play “Candy Crush” on his daddy’s phone, acting like she knows how to make a combination. We gave her a dummy phone when she turned one, she loves to press the buttons and pretend talking to someone.

Now that she’s 1 year and four months. She really enjoys talking on the phone. Her eyes open wide when she hears a cellphone ring, and immediately grabs it.  Sometimes when her aunt or her grandma talks to her, she makes different noises, continuously, in a very excited way. And it’s so hilarious how she walks around the house and move her hands while talking on the phone, as if she’s really in a serious conversation with someone.  

Can’t help but think of how loud our house will be, once she starts asking endless questions and telling funny stories like her big brother now. Oh my G!  =)

Ice Cream Fun at Kool Kids

We used to get different answers from Shaun, when asked of what he would like to become when he grows up; to be a doctor, to be a pilot or to be a policeman. But recently he has been pretty consistent with his response-- “to be an ICE CREAM VENDOR, so I can eat cookies and cream every day!” toink! We laugh about it but he seems sure with his decision.  =)

 So when hubby and I were checking on some restaurants along Kapitolyo, Pasig City, and saw this unique ice cream shop, we immediately thought of bringing him there. Looking at the menu, I didn’t see any cookies and cream, fortunately the staff said they could make one for us, since they still have the needed ingredients. As expected Shaun loved it! Not just the ice cream but the whole experience.  Because, unlike the usual dessert being served, KOOL KIDS shop makes instant ice cream using liquid nitrogen over an electric mixer. Upon seeing how it’s done, Shaun’s exact words were-- “wow… amazing!”

The Other Side of Motherhood

It’s always nice to see photos of adorable little kids, shared on social media; they’re just too darn cute! But wait until you see the entire picture yourself! =) When you have your own kids you will learn that it isn’t all “bright and happy moments.” Yes, you’ll be constantly surrounded by sweetness, lots of hugs and giggles, so adorable! But it’s not that simple, they’re so precious that it feels scary sometimes.

See photo below. It was rather a peaceful morning, when my son was busy watching TV and my baby was sleeping soundly in her crib. Thought I could take a quick shower! Sophia suddenly cried while I was soaping myself in the bathroom. And then my son kept on shouting that his baby sister was already awake. So I quickly rinse myself, grab the towel and run into the crib! It was indeed an intense moment, so I decided to take my “very first” selfie snap, shared the photo (#yayaless) to my friends and just laughed about it.

Aah... Thirst-quenching!

Hi everyone! Woo, it’s been a while, I’ve been rather lazy, I mean busy, I mean both. haha! Let me just share with you my little Sophia’s latest achievement at 1 year and 3 months... drinking water from a cup on her own! as in without spilling! (so happy!) Since she is an exclusively breastfed baby, she have never used a pacifier, even when I want her to! lol. For the same reason, she doesn’t like sippy cups as well. She just observed how we drink from a glass, and gets very excited to try it herself. So we usually help her drink from regular cup after she eats. And then yesterday afternoon, I gave her a plastic cup filled with about 1/8 full of water, and she was able to drink it all by herself… Yay!!! Let’s drink to that!

Very Useful Clothing Tricks for Girls

Yay Saturday!!! Do you have any nice plans for your weekend? I’ve shared some fashion tips on my last post, now it’s time to show you girls some great clothing tricks I've learned online. Which I’m pretty sure will be helpful to all lovely ladies out there.

distress your fave jeans using a cheese grater or sandpaper, and then remove the blue threads with tweezers.

Be an Instant Fashionista

Hi lovelies! I’m a stay-at-home-mom, who normally wears shorts, loose shirt and pajamas at night (until the afternoon of the following day! Lol) and then pull my hair back for almost every day! Nevertheless, I like to look nice not just for hubby but for myself as well.  They say it’s almost impossible to stay HOT after having a baby. Well, I don’t think so. I don’t always do make-up. A quick lip stain and gloss will do, if I have to leave the house. Breastfeeding helped me a lot! in losing the baby weight. In just about 6 months (after my baby was born) I was able to fit myself back to my old pair of jeans.

Every woman should find time to take care of herself, regardless if you’re a mom or not. Take a good shower, fix your hair and get dressed up (once in a while) even at home. For moms, you could use child’s naptime as “me” time. Your true beauty will shine when you feel good about your appearance. Be kind to yourself! Put a little effort, but if you’re not in mood, then don’t.

Fun in Babywearing, Loving the Baby Sling!

Babies love to be cuddled and held (close to your heart), especially the newborns, and one great way to make it a lot easier for parents is by using a “Sling.” It’s called BABY WEARING- carrying a baby using a cloth baby carrier. There are lots of different kinds in the market; you’ll just have to choose based on your little one’s age and weight.

Not Your Ordinary Baby Girl

Having a baby girl doesn’t mean it’s all gonna be sweet, calm and peaceful around the house. When I was pregnant with my little Sophia, thought we were having another boy, because my baby was very wiggly inside my tummy. After the scan, we found out it was a girl. The doctor said it was actually a good sign that I was carrying a healthy baby, and we were so happy!

A Letter to my Husband

To my Lovey Chubby Hubby,

People around us may be wondering why I call you sweetie, despite of your body built  =) A man of few words as others may say. But people close to you know what a funny, loving and caring person you are. Well, you’re not the type who would give flowers and chocolates on every occasion, that’s why it feels so much special when you do.  Although you get tired and busy, you still check and make sure we are always safe, and find time to bond with our kids when you get home. Let me also thank you for cooking for us when you’re off from work. I truly appreciate your effort, especially when you have to look for the recipe (that I requested) and learn how to make it at first. You know how I super love your Pochero, Sukiyaki and Tofu Steak! =)

I thank God for giving you as my partner in life. Things you do for our family is worth a lot! And I’m so grateful that you’re the father of our children, a super hands-on dad. You’ve always put a smile on my face and great joy in my heart. Now I love you even more than I did before! 

Free Printable Book Labels

Hi peeps! It's the first Monday for the month of June. Summer vacation is officially over! Time flies! Well, actually time goes even faster when you’re a mom! Agree? :) Is everyone excited to send their kids to school? Well, I still have another week until my son is officially back in kindergarten. But I'm sure moms of younger kids like me are excited too, for it gives mommy a little break from "kakulitan" (naughtiness) around the house while they’re in school, lol.

Flourless Pancakes

               Found this recipe online, and since my son loves to eat eggs, I thought he might like this one too. Well, he actually love it!. A pancake that is so simple to make yet very nutritious. No flour, low in calorie and just all natural. So I decided to share it with you.

You need:  two eggs, one banana and a small amount of butter for frying.

 

How to Make the Tissue Paper Pompoms

 

You need:  tissue papers, scissors, rubber bands and ribbon

How to Make Your Own Party Banner

This is so easy, even a child could make such an adorable garland!

You need: Gift wrapping paper, pencil, ruler, scissors, ribbon or twine and stapler

How to Make a Pinwheel that Spins!

You need: colored paper, pencil, ruler, scissors, colored thumb tacks, superglue, bbq sticks or wooden skewers and small pieces of foam mat

Sophia's Funny Cake Smash Photo Session

                A cake smash photo shoot may look cute and hilarious, but not for some babies like my little Sophia. Well, she was actually excited to touch the cake when she saw it. But as she touched the frosting, she immediately burst into tears and wanted to kick it! Probably because of its sticky texture. And that’s when daddy took as much photos as he could to capture these emotional yet very adorable moments.

For a more dramatic Cake, I used a small candle, bbq sticks, ribbon and a small bunting, where I wrote the letters of her name (different bunting printables are available online). For the backdrop, I just draped a plain purple blanket on her crib and then dangled the small tissue pompoms as props. I just wish I had a bigger PLAIN blanket that I could suspend down to the floor, but I don’t, that’s why I had to use a white towel instead.

*keep water and wet wipes handy when you do this kind of shoot

*wash the props like clothes or blanket immediately to remove stains

*I suggest you do your photo shoot at daytime, because natural light is always the best!

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Outdoor Photo Shoot for Baby Sophia's First Birthday

            Beginning of April, I’ve been really busy doing all the DIY props for my daughter’s first birthday. There are just a lot of nice and cute crafts one could make for a little girls party, I was able to make the Pinwheel, Pompoms, Banner, Buntings, Loot bags and even some Marshmallow Pops for the dessert table . I also wanted to have both indoor and outdoor photo shoot of her.  Normally, a professional photographer will charge around 5,000Php per session. Of course, we don’t want to spend that much, since we have our own camera. The goal is, to capture all the special moments of her 1^st birthday for lifelong keepsakes. So we just did everything ourselves, hubby as the photographer and myself as the over-all assistant. Mind you, it is never easy to take children’s photo but it was certainly all worth it! J

A day before our darling’s birthday celebration, we did the outdoor shoot at Rainforest Park in Pasig City. We only paid Php10/person upon entering the maze garden. No additional fee for the pictorial, you just have to ask permission, nicely! J

Enjoy Different Attractions in Vigan City with your Family for FREE!

               My husband and I had been planning to go to Vigan and Pagudpud since we got married in 2008, and finally we were able to make it happen, well, just recently though. It was our family’s first summer adventure for 2014. Before we left Manila, our goal was to spend as little money as possible for the entire Ilocos trip, without compromising of course the kids’ happiness. And the  great thing that we noticed when we visited different tourist attractions in the City ; Calle Crisologo, Dancing Fountain Show, Burnayan Pottery, Hidden Garden and the  Baluarte Zoo.. is that there was no entrance fee, admission fee or whatever you call it. We even saw some tarps in the Baluarte Zoo, advising visitors not to give donations, reiterating that strolling around the place and interacting with different animals are totally free. Surprising right? “May libre pa pala sa Pinas!”

So here’s the full version of our Vigan adventure:

              What’s the first thing to do in Vigan?  Of course, to walk at the beautifully paved road of the historic Calle Crisologo! It’s amazing to see how the people in this village were able to preserve the ancestral houses. Only “Calesas” (horse-drawn carriages) are allowed to pass by the cobblestone street, so one could definitely look back at the old Spanish times.

My Brave Little Boy's Funny Dental Check-up

             We went to the dentist last Monday; I scheduled the appointment days before. I asked for the off-peak time, and just as I’ve wanted, we were the only patient that afternoon. Back when Shaun was just 3 years old, hubby and I tried to convince him for 15 minutes! to seat on the dental chair for a check-up, but we ended up going home as our little boy refused to even open his mouth for the dentist. Thank goodness, this last visit was a success.

So this time, we did our best to prepare Shaun even before leaving the house. When we got to the clinic, our son immediately looked for the comfort room to pee.  Hubby had his teeth checked first, to show Shaun of what was about to happen and that it doesn’t hurt at all. While waiting for his turn, he then told me that he needed to poop, but he didn’t.  Well, butterflies in his stomach, I guess! I just told him to relax. LOL

How to make Marshmallow Pops

 



 

I made some mallow pops for my little darling’s first birthday. It looked so pretty, was so easy to make and oh so yummy! I’m glad that it was enjoyed not just by kids but also by the kids at heart. And all the positive feedback that I got is truly overwhelming, so as requested here's the step by step guide.

 

A Letter to my Son

This is a super delayed post, but I still would love to share it with you guys  :)

 

 

 To our smart, sweet, and loving son Shaun,

           You’ve already finished the first part of kindergarten. And it was an amazing experience to both of us! J I may not be able to remember the details of your preschool years when you grow up. That’s why I’m telling you here what a wonderful year it has been.
 

           As first time parents, your daddy and I were very excited to let you out of the house and  have fun at school when you were  at 2 ½ years old, so we requested your grandma’s friend  to let you (and your cousin Leocas) join a nursery class and give it a try.

             But here’s what happened. You got so excited and couldn’t just sit on your chair. You already knew some of the lessons, like the different colors and shapes. So you went in front dancing, got the stick from the teacher and imitate her, as if you were the assistant! (Lol!) That was the day when you got your very first “good job star.” Which you were so happy and proud of, but we decided not to let you continue, for we saw that you're still too young to attend a formal class.

             After a year, we finally got you enrolled. You were very excited on your first day; it was all about fun and play for you.

 

Homemade Banoffee Pie

            A good friend of mine asked for this recipe, and just in time for my daughter’s 11th month birthday, I decided to make one and share the recipe to you all.

 

 

               What is a Banoffee Pie? It means banana and toffee (boiled condensed milk). This is a popular dessert which originated in United Kingdom and now a favorite pie by many, around the world.

Here’s the simplest way to do it:

Nine Happy Days and Counting

100 Happy Days - It’s been more than a week since I accepted the challenge and I’m really having fun participating. If you haven’t heard about it, it challenges you to take a photo of something that makes you happy and post it online (I’m sharing mine in FB) every single day for 100 days. Make sure you include #100happydays so people can find it.

 

You could actually make your own compilation if you don’t want to go public. The idea is, despite of your super busy day, this task reminds you to pause and appreciate little things that make you happy. And when other people likes, or comment something good about it after you post it online. Whatever boring or negative event happened to you, you’ll still feel that your day isn’t bad at all.

Have Fun in the Kitchen this Weekend

             Thinking of things to keep your child busy this weekend? I’ve read an article before, saying that one great way to make your little child eat his food is to involve him in the process. He might be interested to know how it’s being prepared and what different ingredients it is consist of. So I thought, "why not make a cake together?" No-bake cake is one of the easiest! And safest way to get your kid’s hands full. It will also keep him away from the TV and all the different gadgets, making his day more productive while having fun.

                   I was craving for a cheesecake that time and my son’s fave is Oreo cookies. So we decided to make an Oreo cheesecake. If you want something healthy, you could always use fresh fruits of your choice for your ref-cake. J

Earth Kitchen, a New Healthy Dining Place in Q.C.

                    Driving along White Plains, Katipunan Ave. on a thursday night. We saw this unique façade of a restaurant, nothing fancy, the place is covered with lots of green leaves and a huge square of wood in the middle, which I thought was a gate, but it was actually their main door. It was already late then, so we decided to return on a Sunday, for lunch instead. We arrived at around 1pm. The restaurant was almost full; glad they still have available seats for us. The place is cozy; wooden tables and chairs, very simple design on the walls and windows, with hanging plants from the ceiling. It was a relaxing and comfy garden-like ambiance. The restaurant is a joint project of Got Heart Foundation and Hizon’s Catering.

Shaun's 1st School Field Trip

                    We’ve got a note from our son’s preschool, saying that the kids will have an out of town field trip somewhere in Bulacan and Clark. At first, my husband would like all of us to go with our son. But I though it will be difficult for us to come and bring our 9-month old baby along, because we don’t have a “yaya” (nanny). Of course, our son would need to stay with the class inside the bus, because they also have some activities on the way to the destination. Hence, if hubby drives the car, while I take care of our breastfed baby, no one will accompany our son, which will be totally unfair to him. For it’s a school field trip not a family day out. We discussed about it, I told hubby that he needs to come with our son, because we don’t have any other choice. :p  He was hesitant initially, because he doesn’t want to be the only dad to join the group. “It’s a great way also to spend some quality time with your son,” I said. So, he agreed.

                   I prepared their bag with clothes, camera, food, drinks and of course pocket money, and then at 6am off they went!

Attaining Happiness from Within

It was a lovely valentine’s day yesterday; many people shared through social media, photo of romantic things given by their special someone. So excited to show how happy they were with their love life. But are you aware that there are people who send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day so they won’t feel alone?

Which led me to thinking,

“how does someone feel complete and not compare her life with others?”

Here’s a short list I came up with:

1. You may not have a great love story to share right now, but for sure your perfect match will come in God’s time. Keep the faith.

 

2. You’re in control of your life.  Don’t waste time thinking that others life are better than yours.

 

3. Let’s not compare our worst moment with their best. No one’s life is perfect!

4. Things like gifts, clothes, gadgets, house, car, paychecks, beauty, and even FB likers, have never been a good measurement of self-worth.

 

5. Our desire doesn’t end. It’s never enough, until we say it’s enough.

6. Stop comparing your life with others. Start living your own.

 

...and lastly,  Live Well, Love More, Laugh Often and don’t forget to Pray! Stay happy!

7 Ways to Avoid Tantrums

 

                     Beginning of 2014 my husband asked me what my new year’s resolution would be. “To be more patient as a mom,” I said. Because I just realized how I’ve become quick-tempered most of the time to my 4-year old son since our baby came in 2013, which should not be the case. It’s just so hard to deal with a very active boy, who keeps on screaming and jumping around the house while you’re trying to put the baby to sleep. But at least, hubby said, it wasn’t bad for my first month.  J

                    I did a little research on different discipline techniques. Check out the list, you may find one or two that will work for you.

My IPAD was Stolen at Cardinal Santos Hospital!



The worst part my January was the last! January 31, 2014 – Chinese New Year. I lost my IPAD, well actually it was stolen inside our room at the Pedia floor of Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

     

              The worst part my January was the last! January 31, 2014 – Chinese New Year. I lost my IPAD, well actually it was stolen inside our room at the Pedia floor of Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

Fun Family Picnic in Tagaytay

We just Looove the cool breeze of Tagaytay City!

We went back, for the whole family to have a great time at the park. And we all had fun! 

 

Since my son saw Team Umizoomi (Nick Jr.) on TV having a fantastic picnic, he didn’t stop asking us to go out and do the same.  Thinking of a location to have a fun picnic near Manila, we went to Tagaytay City. Of course, for a less expensive place with a great view of the Taal Lake, best choice was, The Picnic Grove! 
  

       I’ve been to this place couple of times already, many years ago. There are different things you can do here now, in addition to riding a horse or flying a kite, you may also try the zipline or cable car if you have additional budget. In our case, we just enjoyed the fresh air, the sumptuous meal and the majestic view of the Taal Lake.

The kids were able to use their little tent on the ground, we also bought some bubble gun for them to play. It was nice to walk the trail as well, where we took some photos with the mesmerizing beauty of nature on the background.

While others were scared to pass the hanging bridge, here’s a photo of my son, having a really great time jumping on it.

 

It was a wonderful family picnic day for us! perfect weather!

 

*For fees, entrance of P50 for 4 years old and above. And P35 flat rate for parking. We rented a picnic hut for P150 with no time limit! Bench tables for P100 and a cottage for P250 are also available.

*We stopped over at Good Shepherd-Bahay Pastulan on our way to the park, where we bought buko pie and ube jam. They’re open until 6pm only, that’s why we went there first.  

-So glad that I was able to enjoy the amazing cool climate of the place and at the same time, purchase my favorite ube halaya, without having to go on a 6-hour trip to Baguio J



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Where to go in Tagaytay, for a Great Family Day Out, on a Budget

My friends were asking for information about our recent Tagaytay trip. So here are the details. It was definitely unplanned; all we want is for the kids to have a nice and relaxing day tour out of town. We left Pasig at around 11am. While hubby was driving, I just searched on mobile for places that we could go to, on a budget. We went to Nuvali, Puzzle Mansion, Sky Ranch and view deck overlooking Taal Lake.

First stop, NUVALI, Sta. Rosa Laguna. Good news is, it’s FREE! you’ll just have to park your car and have a nice walk to the lake.  Both our 6-mo old baby and 4-yr old son loved the place. Because of the fishes, lots and lots of them! Stampede! J It was a sunny day, that’s why we had to use an umbrella. But it was still relaxing (despite of the heat ) to look at the fishes swimming at the lake. And to make it more fun for kuya Shaun, daddy bought some food (for only P15/pack) so he can feed the fish.

Second, the Puzzle Mansion, Tagaytay City, entrance fee P100/head. Ms. Gina owner of the two-story Mansion is the Guinness World Record holder for the person who has completed the most jigsaw puzzles in the world. We went there because of that title, thought it will be interesting for our son. But he found it boring. Hehe! But it was still amazing how one person could finish all those puzzle pictures ranging from 100 pcs to 32,000 pcs!
 

Third, the Sky Ranch, Tagaytay City, admission fee is P100/head, we went on a holiday (50% discount) so we only paid for P50 per person. It has a great view of the Taal Volcano. On your way, you will immediately see the huge Ferris wheel along Aguinaldo Highway. Our son was very excited to ride this amazing Sky Eye, the Tallest Ferris Wheel in the country.  That he shouted louder in the car as we get closer and closer to the park (t'was kinda annoying, but FUN). 150 Pesos per person for a 10-minute ride to the Sky Eye. Pretty expensive huh? but it was worth it when we saw the big smile on our kids face. You won’t get dizzy riding here, because it’s air-conditioned and has music playing continuously. Oh let me tell you, before you leave this place you also need to pay for your parking.

Finally, EAT! Along Tagaytay-Nasugbu Hwy, you can choose from different restaurants (Starbucks, Pancake house, Max’s, Chicboy, Leslie's to name a few). After eating,  just a walk, right behind those resto, you'll see a fantastic view of the Taal Lake for FREE!

It was a really great quality time with my family. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

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