8 years of unselfish love and counting...

May 31, 2011 marks our 8 years of being together as husband and wife and we
really thank the Lord for all that transpired on these wonderful years of
togetherness. 

I can say that nothing much different from last year.  Our love and respect for
each other just gets better and better every year. That despite our demanding
jobs especially that of last year, we made things to happen for ourselves, for
both of us and for The Family.

Of course, we do have our ups and downs.  But with open minds to talk about
and listen to each others points, we commit  to give and to take.

And if there's one thing that I am always grateful of is by giving me a Husband
who is so patient with all my impatience, rants, and weaknesses and loves the
things that I  also love - my leisure and wants.

So to The Husband, I seldom say this but I really mean it.  Hon, I love you
with all my life..
 
To celebrate our 8 wonder years, we just had a dinner @ Max's restaurant. We
ordered my husband's favorite spring chicken, potato salad and buko pandan
shake which I am missing a lot.  I can still remember that I always crave for this
shake when I was pregnant with my son.

 

Cheers for another year that passed and welcome what  the new year will
bring!!!

Crossword Game Bonding by The Family

Call it Scrabble or Word for Word, it is still a Crossword Game and my son is
enjoying it very much. Every time The Family is in the house during the weekends
or night time, he gathers us to play this.

Despite being busy for the house chores, we drop everything when he calls us for
this session because I know this is one great way of learning. Also, he can acquire
these skills:

1. Enhance vocabulary - He thinks and try hard to form words - a three to
    four-letter words.  And for every word placed in the board, it is being used
    in the sentence.
2. Develops memory skills - He recalls the words he learned from his Kinder 1
    class and use them if there is a chance.
3. Reading skills - We give him more complicated words to practice his reading.

See how his thinking and two little hands work...

A 30 minutes to 1 hr session every weekend can make a difference in your child's
word power. It is really a great way of enjoying learning while playing.

Rainy Saturday - May 28, 2011

We're supposed to go to my son's pedia to have his flu vaccine but was not able
to do so due to heavy morning rains. My plan to drop by Trinoma to look for great
items on sale did not materialize too. 

We are now stucked in the house. I did house chores, sort-out things, cooking and
now having my ME-time - blogging.  I am enjoying my blog-hopping, reading
great and sensible posts from different moms like me. I am learning a lot from
them. I think this would be my first time to have an afternoon sleep with my family
after a long time.

My son is having his usual TV watching and playing with his super heroes.  My
husband had some work assignments.

Maybe a little later when the rain slows down, we'll bring my son for his weekend
internet session on his grandpa's house. 

And since its raining, I'm thinking of good food to eat.  What about that?

My Stress-Busters

How I wish I can attend the Stress Management seminar that our HR will be
sponsoring 2 weeks from now but unfortunately as early as now, my dates are
all fully-booked.  I know there is a lot more tips to know in coping with
stress management which I can apply in my life @work.

I have been in the IT field for quite a long time now and I tell you that it is not
an easy job. I am required to develop error-free programs that automate other
people's job + perform user support as needed + have initiative to develop or
acquire new technology + manage people with different skills and personalities
+ meet with my users, bosses and consultants + report to many bosses make
my  work life equation not balance but a very stressful one.

There were times I felt so low and sometimes want to freak out. True to the saying
that when it rains it really pours.  Aside from the scheduled projects, concerns
from left to right keep on hunting me.  By the time I am about to finish my task,
here comes not one but more concerns.  But what can I do? This is my bread and
butter.  This has been my life for almost a decade and a half.

On the other side, I learned a lot and still learning from it.  This is where I met my
husband.  We enjoy speaking the same language.  And despite the stressfull life
@work,  I do love my job, I am enjoying it and still focused on it. 

To manage a very stressful work, here are my STRESS-BUSTERS:
1. I try to always think positive.  I don't run from assignments/tasks.  I welcome
    them with an open mind.  If a task is not possible the way it is required to be,
    I give my insights and provide alternatives until you come into agreement.
    You can't run from problems. Face them with a positive thinking and attitude. 
2. I ask for HIS guidance.  It always work for me.  He gives me the gift of
    discernment in facing different life's situations.
3.  I prioritize.  I list all the tasks, evaluate and prioritize based on urgency
     and impact then keep them in my To-Do List.  Even super heroes could not
     be in two situations at the same time. Just take it one at a time.
4.  Celebrate in any way possible not only the big accomplishments but even
     the simple and small ones with your loved ones and friends. I feel happy,
     contented and relieved for a job done.
5.  Having a ME-Time. I make it a point to have time for myself. I save a part
     of my income and treat my self to a salon, SPA, shopping or date with friends.
     When you know that you can still treat yourself a time, the feeling of being
     stressed is lessened.  

And who says that 24 hours is too short?  You just have to make time for you
can never find time. Never let your stressful job and environment pound you.
Don't you know that you can even get weak and sick if you are in a stressed
mode?  So beat your stresses and enjoy life.

A birthday party bash for my big boy

Exactly 2 Saturdays from now will be the 5th birthday of my son and The Family
is very excited for this special event. 

After throwing birthday parties for his 1st and 2nd birthdays, we decided to treat
him one for his 5th. Aside from he can now appreciate and enjoy parties with
other kids,  we believe that we owe him one for his great accomplishments both
on his studies and as a growing up kid last year. What a milestone to celebrate!
Also, time and again, he enjoys watching his 2 birthday party videos which is a
way of telling me that he really wants a party.

Since it was decided by The Family last year, we started to save few bucks on
our coin bank every week for the expenses. Luckily, aside from the savings,
the pledges from his titos and titas will just fill-up the gaps.

So last week, we booked a Jollibee party with Transformers as the theme.
Lucky us, because my son loves the Transformers for he keeps a collection
of them - robots and books.

We availed the complete package since my hectic schedule @work hampers
me to personally prepare every detail. They have the 3-step to prepare for your party.

Step 1 - Choose your food package or you can customize if you like.

Step 2 - Select your party favors (from baloons, to give aways, to party hats and mats).

Step 3 -  Choose your lootbags(regular, special and premium), and your party
themed cake from Red Ribbon and comes in different sizes and flavors to choose from.

Surely,  what will surprise my son aside from the theme is the  Jollitown
characters(Popo, Yum, Twirlie and Hetty) who will grace and join the fun.
I hope he will come out from his shyness and show his dance with the
Jollitown as what he loves doing at home, watching and dancing the
Jollitown.

 

Maybe, I will just prepare additional lootbags and prizes in case there will be more
kids attending than expected.

I love the invitation design.

The Jollibee branch that we got is wider and quite cool than West Ave branch
where we had his last party.  And it is more accessible and convenient to most
of our visitors. 

A photo booth courtesy of my sister as her gift to my son will also be available.

For our visitors, we cannot accommodate everybody so we just selected our
close friends aside from family and relatives.  For those that we will not able
to invite, I hope they would understand. 

So cheers to the birthday boy who will be turning 5 this June 12 with a party
bash!

To my son, I hope that you'll have the chance to read this when you grow up
and realize more how Mama and Papa love you very much.

Is summer over?

Its been raining since the weekend. Does this mean that summer is really over?
And based on Pag-asa's whether  report, it will be thundershowers for the rest of the week.

This is actually a bad news for my son who is expecting that we will still go to
the beach and to Eco Park for a zip line drive. 

If the whether continues to be like this, I'll just plan for another indoor activities for
my son so as not to make him bored while waiting for the school year to begin. 

A day of fun-filled reading (Free Comic Book Day + Private Iris Case 16 Launching)

My son, as a collector of DC comics and who loves reading each character's
issue, was again happy attending the Free Comic Book Day held in Fully Booked
branches today May 21.  Those early birds were given 1 comic each.

 

I got the Captain America + Thor, my son got his favorite Justice League and my

husband was able to got hold of the amazing Spiderman.  My son was very happy

because of  the 3 comics to add up to his collection.

 

He immediately read the Justice League.

 

And enjoyed the other comics too. 

In the afternoon, we attended the launching of Private Iris Case 16 - Beach 

Baddies in Power Books, Trinoma. Lucky us, I was texted by my brother

last minute yesterday for this event so I immediately emailed the organizer

and have my son registered. 

For the consumption of those who does not yet know Private Iris, it is a series of

detective comic books featuring Iris Able and Danton Cord.  These two tackles on

mysteries to be solved using useful facts such as Science experiments with money

saving tips that are relevant for the youth of today.  

The illustrators behind this Private  Iris are Jamie Bautista and Arnold Arre.

The illustrator Jamie Bautista having his comic reading of 5 pages of Case 16.

My son is very fond of Jamie's reading because of the later's dubbing for each

character. Jamie was really a great story teller.

 

After the story-telling, my son won in the question and answer contest.  This is his

first piggy coin bank courtesy of Pioneer and Private Iris.  I hope I can teach my

son the value of saving money at a young age. 

They also sponsored games with prizes from their sponsors - Alaska, SPARX and
the Picture Company.

 

Too bad, there was no mascot appeared.  This should had been the first time that

my son will meet the Private Iris mascot.  

ALASKA drink with cup cakes were served after the event.

Overall, my son enjoyed the story telling and the games activities.  I hope he'll 

develop his skill in story telling aside from reading.

We are again looking forward to this kind of event as this always makes my son

happy as well as develops his hobby for reading.

Planning for earning additional bucks + decluttering + giving a hand

Beginning of school year has always been an ordinary household scene
which means expenses. After rising up from several credit cards debts spent
in the summer get-aways, its now time to have a budget-check and find other
means to cover all the expenses for the school enrollment this June.

Good for you if you are employed and you have amortized the schoolyear's
expenses in your monthly budget. And more lucky you are if you are
employed + you have a work sideline to add-up in your budget. 

In my case, I have a regular work and earn just enough for my family's basic
needs, and  a little savings.  I don't have any other source of earnings except
that I am a promo/freebies junkie on-line and in malls.  From these great finds,
I get great savings.

And one great source of few bucks that I know is a Garage Sale and I am proud
to say that I am planning to hold one again. I will definitely get my items on sale
from the de-cluttering that I made last month. Some are pre-loved but good as
new and some are still new items. I am sure that my buyers will be more than
happy for these great stuff on sale.

I have handled several of this before in our yard and I  can say that the earnings
I got is worth a savings. What is more satisfying is that I was able to share some
to a friend who is badly in need that time. 

So this time, I am expecting to earn few bucks on  my soon Garage Sale event
before the school opening to help me ease my budget and expenses worries.
I am also thinking of my yaya who will be giving birth this June as my beneficiary
for this.

Excited for Private Iris Case 16 - Beach Baddies Launching on May 21

It will be a fun-filled whole-day learning for my son this coming Saturday with
Private Iris hitting the town with its Case 16 - The Beach Baddies.  It will be
launched in Powerbooks Trinoma on May 21 @3PM.  Just like its last launching
which we attended in Fully Booked in Bonifacio Global City late last year, surely,
great games, prizes, give-aways and story telling of the writer are in-store for kids
in all ages.

My son's 2 Private Iris cases.  Its Case #1 - Cashbox Caper and Case #13 -
Bratsitting.  We are looking forward to get the latest case this Saturday. 

For the consumption of those who does not know Private Iris, this is one good
write-up from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/learning/view/20090112-182775/Saving-with-Private-Iris-learning-too for you to MEET PRIVATE IRIS.

The smartest kid in school. She knows mathematics, science, history and, best of all, she has a knack for solving puzzles.

A techie with a wrist full of gadgets, Iris can be mistaken for a nerd, though she is more outspoken than most. A loner, she prefers to hide in the secret headquarters under the forest near her home. She hates classmates who cheat and, through observation and deduction, she catches several of them, earning their ire. Often, she seems to know more than her teachers, which does not endear her to them, too.

Danton Cord is Iris’ only friend and, on the surface, her exact opposite. Handsome, athletic, and popular, Danton is also smart. A basketball star, he has many friends but Iris has been special to him, ever since she helped him tremendously in The Case of the Cashbox Caper.

Loyal and generous, Danton wants other students to see Iris’ good traits. One way to do this is to have her help them solve their problems. Iris does not particularly care for the others but if Danton likes them, then they must be worth helping.

Science mysteries
Iris and Danton are the main characters of the comic series “Private Iris,” targeted at elementary and high school students. Launched last year by Blue Cow, the series aims to educate kids while serving a dose of fun.
Each issue focuses on a clever mystery story. I like the fact that the writer, Jamie Bautista, does not talk down to kids, and each mystery contains genuine science facts and information in other areas.
For instance, in “The Spirit of the Shoemaker,” mysterious messages appear and disappear on walls of the laboratory. Are there ghosts? Not quite. It turns out that the villain used invisible ink from lemon juice. Heat makes the messages reappear.
Since science is better learned by doing, I find it helpful that there is a follow-up mini-experiment after the story. Dip a brush in simple lemon juice and write with it. When the juice dries up, the message disappears. When you put the paper near a lit candle (not too close or the paper will burn), the juice will react with the heat. The areas with the writing turn brown and the message reappears, like magic.
Another piece of trivia: In the classroom, Iris is scolded by her science teacher for saying that not all rocks float. Rock does not float, does it? Well, not ordinary garden-variety rock, but pumice floats. Why? A volcanic rock, pumice has many holes, making it less dense than water. Ergo, it floats!
Interestingly, pumice is used to make stone-washed jeans. It is responsible for the faded look.

Finance 101
What make this series not only educational but practical are the finance lessons embedded in each story. For example, in the story mentioned, a former lab owner is the inventor of the sneakers Fleetfeet that Danton, the basketball player, calls “the awesomest awesomeoness in all awesomedom!” He (and all students, except Iris) just had to have them.
Perfectly normal, right? Sadly, yes. Fleetfeet is an ironic reference to extremely expensive branded sneakers that kids feel they have to get-—until a new model comes along. To parents who despair over their children’s spending habits, read this message to your kids:
“Don’t buy something just because it’s a fad. When something is popular only for a short time, it’s called a fad. More often than not, when something is a fad, everybody seems to want to have or do it. But after a while, the fad dies down and people move on to something else that is newer and more exciting. Fads are just wants; short-time wants. If you are trying to figure out whether something you are about to buy is important, ask yourself: do you really need it right now, or do you just want it because other people seem to want it? If you feel the thing is just a fad, save your money. You’ll be glad later on when the fad dies down and nobody (including you) wants it anymore.”
Another reminder is on budgeting, in terms kids can understand and respond to: “Budget your funds when planning an event. If you have a special event that you’re planning, like a birthday party or a school event, you will only have a set amount of money for it. It’s wise to make a budget so that you can make sure you have enough money for all the important things. For example, you don’t want to spend too much on party decorations only to find out you have no money left to buy food for the party. List down all the things you need for the event in order of importance. Then set aside the right amount of money for each from your overall budget. The better you plan your event, the more successful it will be!”

Guaranteed savings
Each issue of Private Iris comes with a Sparx code, worth P100. Sparx is a “smarter version of the piggy bank.” A savings and insurance instrument from Pioneer Life, Sparx guarantees future savings for children and life insurance when and until they turn 14 years old.
Pioneer Life has been in the country for more than four decades. It is part of the Pioneer Group, led by Pioneer Insurance and Surety Corp., with assets close to P7 billion.
Classy and brainy, the series is proudly Philippine-made. Bautista, an Ateneo de Manila University communications cum laude graduate, has taught English literature and comics theory. The stories are brought to life by the wholesome drawings of artist Arnold Arre, a welcome respite from the bloody gruesomeness of much adult animé. Arre has received National Book Awards for his graphic novels. He designs for individual and corporate clients. To the Private Iris team, keep it up!

Private Iris is available in selected schools, bookstores, and newsstands. Call 7509999 or go to www.privateiris.com or www.bluecow.com.ph for details.
E-mail blessbook@yahoo.com.

My weekend surprise for my son - Fully Booked's Free Comic Book Day

Fully Booked will be hosting a Free Comic Book Day on May 21 Saturday.  It will be held on the following branches: BHS, Rockwell, Promenade, Greenbelt 5, Gateway, SM North The Block, MOA, Trinoma, Eastwood, Cebu, Marquee, and SM Clark and will start at 10AM.

No purchase required and will be on a first come first served.  There will also be
20% discount on other comic and graphic novels.

Surely, this will be a great surprise to my son this weekend. Aside from he loves
reading, he is really a comic fan most especially on super heroes. 

 

See how my son loves comics reading very much. These are just some DC comics
from his collection.

Kids and kids at heart, see you there!!! Happy comic reading!!!

Completed the Phonics Level 3 summer class

Today marked the end of the Phonics Level 3 summer class of my son and I can
say that he has completed it successfully. As reflected on his worksheets and
homeworks, he did a great job.

He is now exposed to and good in reading more complex words with long
vowel sounds as well as in reading and comprehension. He can already
spell these words in writing and orally.  However, still needs to improve a lot in writing.

To supplement and practice his reading skills on this level, I'm planning to buy
him more story books for this Phonics level.

And he enjoyed his summer class with his classmate.

And this is his prize for his completion,  Vilgaux of Ben 10 and a yummy Jollibee treat.

Congratulations my son for a job well done. You made us  proud again!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Nothing could be better when you have someone who walks with you in your
life's journey.  From the time I was conceived up to now that I have a 4 year old
son, thank God that my mother is still with us who is always there to support me.

And now that I am also a mother, I can feel how my mom loves me so much and
did all the sacrifices just to make me who I am right now.  And I am doing the same
way too with my son.  I know that he wouldn't realize it for now but soon I know
he'll be proud of me too.

For this special occasion, here are my answers to the most common questions
for the Mothers' Day. 

1) What would be your most memorable moment you had with your mother?
    Why is it memorable?
   -The first time my mother went up the stage and pinned me a ribbon for my
    pre-school accomplishment. That was memorable especially for me because I
    knew that I made her proud of me.

2) Why should we celebrate Mother's day?
   -Nothing can compare to a mother's great love for her children.
    She made them see, and nourished them to learn and explore the world.
    She made heroes.  Who wouldn't agree that moms deserve
    a special holiday treat out?

3) And FOR THE MOTHERS.. What is the best thing of being a mom?
   -For me, the best thing being a mom is that when I see how my love and care
   for my 4 year old son has molded him to what he has  accomplished so far.

Happy mother's day to all moms out there!!! Despite the rainy day, we celebrated
the occasion with my mother in-law and my mom while watching Pacquio-Mosley
fight.