Avatar

I first read about Avatar a few months ago. Where? I forgot because I was not that interested at that time. I remember it was described as the film that will change the face of cinema forever. Big words. I did not click the link to watch the trailer because I was reading about This Is It.

I do watch science fiction because of the production design, the computer generated imagery but I have not been excited in any movie that belongs to that genre. To say the least I have no intention of watching Avatar in the big screen. I will just wait for the DVD copy.

Avatar was shown in the Philippines on the third week of December. I am not one to ride the bandwagon (in fact, oftentimes I find myself having a different opinion from the bandwagon). I have to see what I have to see. I was intrigued by how a lot of people gushed at how great the movie is. And how publicities regard Avatar as the movie that will revolutionize 3D film making and that movies will be divided into Before Avatar and After Avatar. I like that I have to admit. Advertising at its best and I allowed myself to be lured.

Oh well, if this is indeed a movie revolution, I should be a part of history and watch it together with my family.

I am glad we watched it, more than glad. My husband, who is a sci-fi enthusiast, loves the concept and the CGI. My daughter who is not patient with movies lasting more than it should (except maybe if it's a Disney movie) loves it. She was also engrossed with it just like me. I sat there at the movie theater not bracing myself for anything but I was hooked five minutes after the movie started.

James Cameron always has big movies which my husband all loves - The Abyss, Terminator 1 & 2, Aliens. I have watched them all too but my only favorite among his movies is Titanic.

Avatar is now included. Avatar, as it has been said, is about the greed and the imperialistic attitude we all possess which destroys our environment - the balance of life. The climate conference in Copenhagen was held a few days before the showing of the movie. Talk about timing.

Anyway, I have not watched Sigourney Weaver in a long time. It's good to see her in this movie. She's her usual fiery self.

Let me dwell more on the CGI. I love, love, love it!

The lush forest with all its giant trees and wild plants is just beautiful to see especially when the plants light up. Is this how the Garden of Eden looks? I wish this is how it is on earth. Imagine a place with floating mountains. Think about communing with nature, us, understanding what they need and want, and them, understanding what we need and want. And they all light up at night as we pass them by. Beautiful. Truly larger than life. Humongous.

I love how the Na'vis were created. They were designed beautifully. Tall, slender, blue skin, wide eyes, graceful, nice, well-kept dreadlocks. Spiritual.

Tell me what is the real set and what is CGI. You cannot really tell. It's seamless. The CGIs can actually act. It scares you sometimes they act better than the real actors. :)

The year in Avatar is 2154. Several light years away from Earth is a place where a mineral called Unobtainium can save our planet from losing its energy reserve. Will this ever happen? Who knows? But a sequel to Avatar will probably happen in the next years.

Church Team Buiding December 2009

Our church mates from our group call it Sports Fest but I would say it is more of a team building created for three reasons: 1. to get to know the other groups which hold their church duties in a different schedule, 2. to strengthen the bond in our group, 3. to unwind after our end-of-year Thanksgiving.

This has been going on for about three years now if I am not mistaken. My husband had been attending this and he always enjoyed going. This is the first time my daughter and I went with him. Thank God we were able to wake up early or else we missed all the fun.

We arrived a few minutes before seven in the morning. My daughter was not quite in the mood at the onset. But I know she will get to catch up because our churchmates are very accommodating and most of them know her already.


The assembly was already quite a number, around forty, by seven in the morning so the games started. All in the name of fun and good times. My daughter joined the first game.


I took this time also to take a lot of pictures of the place. One interesting area is the Peace Wall, a mural where messages about the people's desire to achieve peace in the country were inscribed.

I often pass by Quezon City Circle, a famous landmark in Mega Manila which contains the remains of Manuel L. Quezon (the first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines). This morning was just the second time I visited the park. This was the first time though that I went around and took some pictures.

My daughter and my husband went to the topmost step. Oh what a great photo opportunity for me. :)


This team building was worth getting up so early in the morning. I am inspired by the enthusiasm of my churchmates and the bonding that I get to build with them by joining activities such as this.

This is also one way to inspire my daughter to be active in our church. She gains more friends and gets to see how much fun it is to be involved in church activities.

A Star Is Born

My daughter loves music very much. She had her guitar lessons then but she has not yet enrolled in any voice lessons class. I asked her several times because I see her talent in singing but she kept on declining. She does not want any recital, that is why. She was contented recording her voice on our computer and on the cell phone. I let her be.

It came as a pleasant surprise to me that she auditioned for their school's Music Made Easy program to be a part of the performing group all composed of kids - from the vocalists to the drummer to the guitarist and keyboardist. It's a part of the Music and Media Arts Workshop provided by their school. She was chosen as one of the five vocalists from their grade level. She was really happy and so was I. Jumping for joy actually. :)

I also admire their music teacher who had been very patient guiding the children. He was able to motivate them well.


My daughter preparing to sing.
I admired her courage to audition and her confidence to sing in front of the whole school. She is used to performing but always with a big group. This time they will only be around eight students on stage. All eyes will be focused on them. We eagerly anticipated the culminating activity. The group will hold a mini-concert for the school.


Go girl!
Aside from being a part of the choir, their group sang two songs, one of which was Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours". This surprised me a bit because the kids know the song. They have a broad scope when it comes to music and not limited to Taylor Swift or Miley Cyrus.

Yes, I was a proud mommy watching my daughter holding the microphone, singing her heart out with matching hand gestures and walking on the stage. She did not freeze from being nervous. She told me before the program she was having butterflies on her stomach but she did so well there was no trace that she was nervous.


All smiles after the program.
Ironic, she now agreed with me to enroll in voice lessons on summer. It's as if she tested the waters first if she can perform in front of a huge crowd before deciding to really hone her talent.

This is one mommy moment I truly enjoyed doing. The pictures taken on stage are blurry. My own camera malfunctioned so I have to borrow at the last minute. I have a new camera now, :). Anyway, I was supposed to share this a few Mommy Moments ago but due to time constraints this post stayed on my draft. I am proud to share this today. Happy Mommy Moments to all my fellow moms!

***Read more sharing at Mommy Journey.

Litratong Pinoy: Paskong Pinoy

Sinasabing ang Pilipinas ang pinakamatagal o pinakamahabang magdaos ng Kapaskuhan. Kapag pumasok na ang mga buwang nagtatapos sa "ber", nasa isip na ng mga Pinoy ang Pasko. Samu't-sari ang mga pre-holiday sale sa mga malls. Marami na ring naglalabas ng mga paninda magtatapos pa lang ang Oktubre para sa paghahanda ng mga Paskong pang-regalo.

Iyan ang mukha ng Paskong Pinoy - mall sale, parties at paglalagay ng Xmas lights sa tahanan para lalong maging mukhang festive ang paligid. Sinasamantala na rin ang family reunion tuwing Pasko sapagkat karamihan ay nakabakasyon.

Alam mo ring malapit na ang Pasko kapag ang mga poinsettia ang unti-unti ng idini-display sa mga malls at sa mga bilihan ng bulaklak. Isa na rin itong simbolo ng Kapaskuhan sa Pilipinas.


Gustong-gusto ko ang poinsettia. Buhay na buhay ang mga kulay at talagang nakadaragdag sa pagkasigla ng paligid. Sana nga ay hindi lang tuwing Pasko mayroong ganitong uri ng bulaklak.

***An entry for Litratong Pinoy.

Snow

The unpredictability of the weather all over the world is getting predictable. Who knows, a tropical country like the Philippines will have its share of snow in the years to come. There is no need to make-believe anymore.






***An entry for 5 Minutes for Mom WW and Wordless Wednesday.

Fort Santiago

One of the activities included in my daughter's HEKASI subject (Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika - Geography, History and Civics...whew!) is to visit Fort Santiago with the family. It aims for a vicarious experience for the students of a great part of the last days of Dr. Jose Rizal before his execution at Bagumbayan (Rizal Park or more popularly knows as Luneta).

I see this as a wonderful idea by most schools. A light discussion on a historical event among the family members proved to be very engaging for us. The last time we visited The Walled City was maybe seven years ago when my daughter was still a toddler. This trip to Fort Santiago was very much appreciated.


Our visit coincided with the Marian Convention. Different floats of the Virgin Mary were on exhibit inside the fort. I had a good time taking pictures even if it was so crowded and the temperature very humid.


One of the many interesting exhibits inside the Rizal Shrine was the enshrined vertebra of the national hero with a bullet wound. My daughter was in awe when she read what was embossed on the glass partition of the cabinet. We were all in awe.


The last steps of Jose Rizal were immortalized by embedding brass plates from his detention cell to the gates of Fort Santiago. You can see a lot of children following his steps just like what my daughter did. "He's got small feet", she said. Small he may be in height and built but big in courage, goals and vision for the Philippines.


We went around Fort Santiago for almost two hours. My daughter finally had to sit on the pavement and rest before leaving the area. We were all tired and exhausted but definitely, we had a great time visiting Fort Santiago. It was a different experience reliving a part of our history.


Next stop is looking for a place to eat. Changed top as it was really hot in Fort Santiago and bought my daughter's monthly dose of Total Girl magazine. While waiting for our orders, my daughter went back in her present time and browsed her magazine, read about one her favorites, Justin Bieber, her present-day hero so-to-speak. :)

This is my first entry for Pixel Bug Weekend. I love joining photo meme and I hope to do this consistently. :)

Litratong Pinoy: Hudyat (Sign)

Katulad ng karamihan sa mga mommies, hilig kong kunan ng litrato ang aking anak. Maraming beses ko na ring naibahagi sa blog ko na ako ay isang "mamarazzi". Hindi kailangang may espesyal na okasyon para kumuha ng larawan ng aking anak. Minsan ay stolen shots or candid shots, minsan naman talagang tinatawag ko siya para mag-pose sa harap ng camera.

Pero lumalaki na ang anak ko. Kasabihan na nga na nagkakaroon na ng sariling disposisyon ang anak kapag ito ay nagmamature na. Pati ang pagkuha ko ng litrato sa kanya minsan ay mukhang hindi na niya nagugustuhan lalo na at sunud-sunod ito sa loob ng ilang minuto.

Madalas sinasabi n'ya ng derecho sa akin na ayaw na niya magpa-picture. Minsan naman may hudyat na nagsasabi sa akin na tama na at tigilan ko na ang pag-click sa camera.

Kapag tinakpan na ng anak ko ang mukha n'ya, hudyat na ito na tumigil na ako sa kakakuha sa kanya ng litrato.


Ngunit sa aking obserbasyon ang hilig n'yang kuhanan ang sarili n'ya ng picture, solo at kasama ang mga kaibigan n'ya. May term nga dito, luvo. Luvo ay ang sobrang pagkahilig sa pagkuha ng litrato ng sarili. Napapansin n'yo ba, ganyan ang mga kabataan ngayon.

***Bisitahin ang Litratong Pinoy para sa mga larawang nagbibigay Hudyat.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Movie

I read the book, I love it! I watched the movie, I like it. But definitely not as much as I liked Twilight. In Twilight, Edward Cullen dazzled me. He was enigmatic, he was mesmerizing. In New Moon, there was less of him (as expected) and in those scenes he was either brooding or sneering. The mystery was uncovered in Twilight hence there was less excitement for me in New Moon. The sparkles were better though I think. Having said that, I am still for Team Edward!

New Moon was true to the book as Twilight was. I love the opening where Bella dreamt of the future - Bella as an old woman and Edward, still at 17. I love the meadow where the scene was taken. It gave a dreamy, soft feeling.

The effects in New Moon are far better than in Twilight. The transformation of the men into wolves were smooth. Yes, it could have been better if they morphed slowly for better impact. Maybe they will do that in Eclipse.

What I liked about the movie:

1. Edward's sparkle.
2. Bella is so beautiful.
3. The scene where the months passed by while Bella remained brooding.
4. The werewolves, the casting was good.
5. Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black for the effort of working hard so he will fit to his role.
6. The paper cut scene. I find Jasper adorable when he's helpless.
7. The parade in Italy.
8. Bella's adrenalin rush where Edward always appear in her vision.
9. The scene where Jacob did not give the phone to Bella when Edward called.

What I wished were given more creativity:

1. The series of miscommunication which made Alice and Edward think that Bella has passed away.

I can't believe there are still Twilight Saga haters, that there are still people who try to put the series down for not finding any deep, profound meaning in the books. There is none. We all know that from the start. You read these books for the sheer fun of it, not because you want an Edward Cullen or a Jacob Lautner in your life. We all know Bella is not an ideal person with her lovelorn self all over the book/movie. They are fun books, or fan books, the two apply. Everything in the book is fiction. Either you read and watch or just leave them alone.

I would like to see the third installment of the Twilight Saga, Eclipse. I read it will be shown on June 2010. Great! This is my favorite among the Twilight series. The love triangle is intense here.

Children and Household Chores

I want to believe the picture below is precious. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her do something as "noble" as this for so many months now. She used to be the one to ask me if she can do it, sometimes to the point of begging.

I was adamant because they might slip from her hands, she might get hurt and all the broken pieces scattered everywhere. But why not? We have to start somewhere when it comes to household chore assignments. We have to level up so to speak after she learned picking up and keeping her toys when she was younger.

So I let her wash the dishes, limited to only two or three lest I be accused of child labor. Haha. It was just to let her experience it. She seemed to enjoy it. But that was a few months ago. Lately, the only household chores (if you can call them that) she ever does are these two - fixing her bed and changing pillow case. Oh yes, she fixes her school bag too.


Household chores are often times a novelty for children. They have fun doing them the first few times but get tired of them after. Like most children my daughter loves playing with water so her most logical choice then would be to wash the dishes.

There may be helps around in a household but I'm one in saying that children should know basic housekeeping when they are capable already and as they grow older. Involving children in doing household chores make them more self-confident, independent and responsible.

Let me share my thoughts about children and housekeeping based on my experience, some of which I realized only lately.

1. Take advantage of that stage when the children are very curious and enthusiastic in participating in household chores. It's the best time to share and teach them the proper way of doing things. It's still like playing for them.

2. Some chores need not be gender-based. This will probably challenge the kids, especially the girls, but that's where the motivation comes from more often than not. They are excited to try new things. They will surely be proud of accomplishing something not quite expected from them in a general sense. But of course, the task should be age appropriate.

3. Sustain their interest by making a schedule of when to do what activity until this becomes a habit. This is where I fell short I believe. I was not able to sustain her first acts of being excited about some chores. But I won't fret, we'll start all over again.

4. Preparing meals or baking together are activities that foster more family bonding. I should say these two things are what my daughter and I do gladly from the bottom of our hearts.

***Read more sharing at Mommy Journey.

Post It

I discovered a site linked from Hailey's post, Post-it Notes Left to Their Fate in Public Places. I am thankful for sites like this which do not attempt to be profound or preachy but shares inspirational one-liners in a simple but creative way.


I will definitely visit this site often, if not everyday. And yes, written on the post-it was what I had just promised myself a day or two ago. Quite providential that I chanced upon it in a blog. It just echoed what was on my mind all along.

Let go, let God. Live, learn, share, enjoy life and be blessed by God. :)

"Koch" with a Short "O"

I have been watching some soap operas sporadically because of three reasons: I'm doing something else when these shows are on, my erratic schedule arriving home at night and I channel surf a lot. But of all the local soap operas I have seen, Tayong Dalawa has the perfect casting. No, I won't comment about the plot nor the roles of each character but the casting that made the story line alive.

Tayong Dalawa posted the second highest rating soap from the Kapamilya channel. They were able to topple Kapuso's Dingdong-Marian tandem. The casting has never been so perfect. Each one fits to his role especially the demented Agot Isidro, the funny, street-smart grandmother Gina Pareno and that of Cherry Pie.

The highest rating goes to May Bukas Pa. It's been extended till next year I heard. Desiree Verdadero (playing the mayor's mistress) acts well but looking at her and the suave Albert Martinez (the mayor) seems a bit odd. I'm not sure why. Desiree is pretty alright but maybe a sexier personality will be perfect for the role. Angelica Panganiban maybe.

Another miscast is John Estrada as Lorna Tolentino's husband in Dahil May Isang Ikaw. It's not that he is way younger than Lorna. It doesn't show really but there could have been an actor in the caliber of Lorna and Gabby (the soap's senior leading man) which could make this a casting coup. On my mind is Albert Martinez but he's still in another soap.

Sid Lucero is perfect for the role of an obsessed man. He is intense without over acting. I hate him. He is disgusting. He is very effective in his role. Surprisingly, Karylle gives out a realistic performance. She has a nice speaking voice for one. She can carry a role of someone that you should hate but instead will take pity on because of her obsession and her love for her mother.

Oh yes, Dahil May Isang Ikaw revolves around obsession. John's character is obsessed with Lorna. Chinchin's character is obsessed with Gabby. Gabby and Lorna are obsessed with each other so are Jericho and Kristine. Sid is obsessed with Kristine and Karylle with Jericho. My, oh, my.

The biggest miscast is Zanjo Marudo as Martin in the Filipino version of Lovers in Paris. I knew it from the very start. Martin is supposed to be a happy-go-lucky street smart rich guy. He's supposed to be somebody cosmopolitan. He has traveled the world and stayed for some time in Paris as a vagabond.

But when you see Zanjo, and hear him speak, you'll wonder if he has been anywhere but in the streets of Tralala. He cannot even pronounce the word "coach" properly. The scene sometimes is suppose to be in its dramatic highlight and suddenly you'll hear Zanjo say "koch", "koch" with a short "o". Can somebody coach him how to be in his role so he won't look like a sore thumb when in the same scene with the dashing Piolo Pascual and still handsome Christopher de Leon? Zanjo is fine but certainly miscast as Martin.

Relational Aggression

I was mulling over my daughter's predicament in school involving one of her best friends...or shall I say ex-best friend (whom I will refer here as Girl Friend or GF). Girl Friend suddenly gave her the silent treatment, without any warning. They had no arguments nor misunderstanding that could have triggered GF's attitude.

At first I just listened to her and advised her to give Girl Friend some time to talk about it. I want to think that this is just one of those things experienced by preteens and nothing to worry about. But each day stories I hear from my daughter get bothersome. I know my daughter is hurting because someone she considers one of her best friends has been giving her cold-shoulder treatment.

She was at a lost why it happened. I helped her sort out the things that transpired between them the past days but we cannot find anything unusual. My daughter said GF just stopped talking to her. Worst is Girl Friend "steals" the attention of their common friends. Girl Friend cuts in the middle of her conversation with a common friend and tries to leave her out of the conversation.

My daughter gets angry when this happens. But I know, she is hurt more than angry. She just leaves the group when Girl Friend starts on her.

You see I like Girl Friend (or used to like given the way she acts towards my daughter these days). She is bubbly and always greets me. We have no idea what happened.

I keep on telling my daughter even before that one of the keys to a lasting friendship is communication. Friends should be open if there are things they need to tell each other that can affect their relationship.

I was really surprised and very proud of my daughter's reaction to Girl Friend. Without me telling her exactly what to do, I learned she wrote Girl Friend a letter asking her what happened. Did she do something that hurt her? If she did, she is not aware of it but she apologized for whatever it is that she had done wrong.

Even older, more mature people will have a hard time apologizing and bring down their pride to patch up a ruffled friendship. What my daughter did was a very mature way of dealing with her friendship with Girl Friend.

I commended her action. I am really proud of her. I also told her she did her part and that's that. I don't want her to appear clingy especially to someone who does not seem to appreciate her effort. My daughter needs to learn too when it's time to move on. Fine if she does not respond, fine if Girl Friend goes back to their normal friendship. My daughter said, "well, that's more than fine. That will be better." Again I was surprised. Her reaction just goes to show she still wants to preserve their friendship and ready to forgive and forget whatever it is which made Girl Friend treat her coldly.

After a week, Girl Friend responded to my daughter's note. She said she finds my daughter irritating and vain (GF actually used a word I'd rather not mention here. It was really mean). My daughter chose not to answer her.

I was wondering if Girl Friend's attitude could be a form of bullying. I am sure it is. I just want to understand it more. It may not be in the form of physical or verbal abuse but it is definitely emotional abuse. I want to read more about it and how it should be dealt with. I chanced upon several websites discussing about the "silent treatment" as a form of Relational Aggression (RA).

Relational aggression is described as any behavior that is intended to harm someone by damaging or manipulating relationships with others (Crick & Grotpeter, 1995). Unlike other types of bullying, relational aggression is not as overt, or noticeable as physical aggression. However, the effects can be long lasting.

While relational aggression can take many forms, some of the methods include:
* Exclusion
* Ignoring
* Malicious gossip and rumor spreading
* Taunts and insults
* Teasing
* Intimidation
* Manipulative affection
* Alliance building
* Cyberbullying

Source: Mean Girls---Realities of Relational Aggression

It is much like the mean girls we watch on movies and television, the Queen B and the acting leader of the pact. Girl Friend is not as worst as how RAs are described above but who knows, she must be going to that point as she is trying to isolate my daughter from their common friend.

I am still weighing things if I am going to discuss this with the class adviser and the mother of GF whom I see in school. I had a few encounters with her and she seemed accommodating. Will discussing this make things better?

Generally my daughter is doing good. She's affected because she feels a friend betrayed her but I don't see any signs of depression nor lack of interest in school. She has other friends she gets along with in her class. In fact she just got accepted in their music group in school right after her first audition.

That is what I always tell my daughter. Keep a lot of friends and don't be confined with a clique. Explore and be active in extra-curricular activities she is truly interested in.

Back to my question, shall I just keep on giving advices to my daughter and let this "issue" of GF die down? I am giving it one more chance but another incident I mentioned above should occur I would request for a meeting with the adviser and the parent. If this kind of bullying continues, clearly it needs attention and resolution by adults - parents and teachers.

I'm hoping for the best.

Michael Jackson, This Is It!

I have been waiting for Michael Jackson's This Is It as soon as it was announced there is going to be a documentary of the concert to be shown in theaters. As the day of the premiere gets nearer I couldn't help but quietly anticipate the movie. It was a mixed feeling. I was happy I will be able to watch him sing and dance on stage even if they will just be snippets of the whole O2 concert. There was a tinge of sadness and then longing that this was the last time he will ever produce and perform.

At last I have watched it with my husband and daughter. See even children love Michael Jackson. They didn't even know much about him until his death which was a world wide news. He was very endearing. His appeal made a mark across generations.

I eagerly waited for the sneak previews to end and sit comfortably and savor what MJ will offer to his fans all over the world. On my mind this could be too commercialized and will only have a few footage of his actual rehearsal. I was just too happy to watch how much respect this documentary gave Michael Jackson.

His passion for his craft was very clear. I saw a very healthy and enthusiastic Michael Jackson. Reports said he dragged himself to his rehearsals and appear tired. None of these were obvious in the documentary. Everyone felt his enthusiasm and his energy.

All of fifty years and yet he danced like every bone in his body was made for the fluid moves and glides he makes.

There was no body double for this documentary. Everything was MJ. One, people can feel if there is anything fake here. Two, that will be too obvious as MJ has a certain move, sound and smile that no impersonator can consistently imitate.

MJ ran the show. Kenny Ortega was the director but Michael always has the final say. He knows what to do. His ideas seem to crop up in an instant. He was one creative person indeed.

This movie showed how meticulous he was. He wanted everything perfectly done. He was supportive of his team. He wanted them to shine. A very secured person Michael Jackson was in that sense.

He was a great leader, always inspiring his people, always calm and collected dealing with them.

The man was thin yes, but it never looked like he lived on drugs as was reported. I looked beyond the reputation the tabloids created of him through the years. Here was a man truly dedicated to his craft. That was pretty obvious if we are to look at his past performances. Just that his personal life was more of an interest than how he was as a producer, director, singer, dancer. This Is It had given us a glimpse of how he was sans all the controversies and grandiose lifestyle.

I even liked the way he looked in this documentary. Never mind that black heavily padded blazers, he was awesome! He knew what he wanted on stage. He looked manly with his long hair down, chewing gum and reviewing some scenes and auditioning dancers.

He was a great motivator. It makes me wonder why he wasn't able to do it to himself. As the fans said..."F-U-*-K the press! Michael, you're the best!" I hope to God he knew he was the best and hoped the he lived his life the best way he could. Maybe things will be different. For the life of me, I don't know why "legends" should end quite tragically. Their untimely end adds to their enigma? I could only wish that MJ's death is a hoax. Reality check....

Michael was a gift. I am glad there is This Is It, a concert documentary of the greatest performer that ever lived. I will definitely buy the DVD and will complete all the DVDs of his past concerts.

I clapped excitedly as the movie begun. I clapped admiringly with the rest of the audience as the show ended. Let me say this once again, Michael Jackson is the man!

The Lost Symbol

Finally I've finished The Lost Symbol (TLS) by Dan Brown late last night. (Thanks to Julie for the book.) I often say that if you've ever read one or two books of Brown, you have read each of his books. You are just waiting for the catch. And you probably know what the catch is even before you reach the middle of the story. The clues in TLS book did not come right away but still, you can already predict long before or somewhere near the climax of the story.

I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code (the book, not the movie) but after that, everything else I read from his books is just too Dan Brown. Predictable. Formulaic. Too contrived. Add more synonymous words or phrases here.

As for TLS, it was a roller coaster ride for me. At some point I was bored, I got excited on a few. A lot of situations are just too forced. Some conversations to emphasize I-don't-know-what-point are just too long. They can actually be deleted. One example I can't believe Brown even included here is how Katherine, the Noetic scientist, was able to weigh the human soul. Geezaz. Right. The way it was delivered here was really mediocre.

The build up on the national crisis fell short. In these days when scandals of high profile celebrities and "important" people can be categorized as common, who else gets shocked in a magnitude that will stun the world as described in the book.

This Dan Brown book is actually a soap opera, a high tech soap opera. The climax was good. The mother in me was touched. That twist satisfied me though I already guessed what it could be while nearing that part of the story. I excitedly read on to see if my theory was right. I felt victorious, lol.

I cannot find any reason why such a respected, intelligent Harvard professor can be duped twice. One, a phone call from a supposed assistant of his mentor. Second, a police woman in a hurry informing him about the state of his friend. The situations are just too obvious not to be in doubt.

I cannot find any reason also why after such a heartbreaking revelation about Langdon's friend's son was suddenly set aside by everyone to talk about "the lost symbol". Recovery from the revelation was so easy, huh. I thought it will end there but there are still a few pages left.

I was waiting for this book to end. I was really interested with their conversation about the power of one's mind - what your mind can perceive, your body can achieve. But heck, it's just too long. I will gladly read The Secret again.

One engrossing part for me is how Washington D.C. and the Capitol building were described. Looking out for all those symbols and signs would be very fun.

I still praise the research mixed with fiction on how the dots connected but there were so many scenes are like a repetition of the previous scenes. Doubts, surprised reactions, being convinced...and the cycle goes on.

There are no new developments in this book. What could have been a great plot that should have been explored, exploited further is about Mal'akh. That could have been more interesting.

Basic Customer Service Goes A Long Way

I must say if there is one thing that Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng taught me, it's to be more consciously appreciative of what I have, most especially my relationships with my loved ones and with the people I encounter daily, strangers or not. Be more patient. Know what really matters. These are the things I have developed through the years but now more than ever, I have learned to be consistent in demonstrating them when the situation calls for it.

This attitude manifests even on the simplest, most trivial things. Like my internet connection. My connection for two days now have been intermittent again. Yes, intermittent again. This was the scenario for three weeks last September up to the
first 3 days of October. I almost jumped for joy when it finally stabilized. But barely two weeks the connection is crappy again. The complaint period was longer than the good service I was having. I am paying for this service and being a loyal customer, I deserve a 100% functional DSL at any given time.

I admit the intermittent issue got the better of me for an hour or so. I attributed it to my PMS but right away I felt sorry I was not able to get hold of my temper. There were other productive things to do on a Saturday afternoon than worry myself over an internet connection.

I made an action plan about this, moved on and did not bother myself about the connection. It also helps that the customer service of Bayantel DSL is generally respectful especially the one I've talked to today. I regret I was not able to get his name. His customer service is ideal and worthy of emulation by his peers. Of all the customer tech support reps, he was the most logical I've talked to.

I know that he is protecting their brand, careful of what he was saying but I know too he sincerely empathized with me as a disgruntled, frustrated customer. He did not answer me with scripted, generic phrases. This is his job and he's doing it great. Let me applaud him for that. I will get his name later so I can commend him when I send an email to their department.

I have talked about the intermittent connection of Bayantel DSL twice or thrice in this blog. Let me just say also that the reason why I haven't left Bayantel DSL yet after all the complaints is that there are people who listens from the other end. A few are knowledgeable, some are just okay, tolerable. I just don't know why their technicians cannot pinpoint the cause of the problem. In any case, Bayantel DSL's recurring intermittent connection will be the reason why I will change ISPs, but pray tell, what is a better choice? PLDT DSL so my neighbor said. We'll see if I will get convinced in the next weeks to come.

Good interaction is vital in any transaction no matter how small it is. Simple things mean a lot. These simple things I get to appreciate now more than ever. It does not mean I will be passive about the whole thing but customer service can buy time in some cases. A simple act of sincere customer service goes a long way for me.

First Stop: Bookstore

Almost always our first stop when we go to the mall is the bookstore. Both me and my daughter are book lovers. But my daughter can beat me to finish a new book. One time she was able to read a 300 page book in one day. I often think her books are one of her motivations to finish her school work so she can continue reading them.

She has passed the stage of Dr. Seuss and Roald Dahl but these books she treasures. She loves Amelia, Madison Finn, Candy Apple, Meg Cabbot, mostly books created for middle school children. I know when she gets to be a little older she will appreciate one of my favorite books of all time - J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye.

There are times it gets her a while to choose a book. She looks on practically each book on the shelf, pull out what she likes and starts browsing on the pages. If she reads faster than I do, she takes longer than I do in choosing a book.


Look, look and look some more.


Finally she got one, sits her herself comfortably on the floor and prepares to read a few pages before she decides if she's having it.


She couldn't wait till we get home to start reading some more.


***Read more sharing at Mommy Journey.

Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change

We have been experiencing erratic weather patterns for several years now. We find ourselves in the middle of strong rains during summer months. In other cases the day is unevenly divided to wet or damp and scorching hot. Oftentimes we travel on the road experiencing two different weathers in areas just adjacent to each other. We are saying the weather sequences were not like they used to be.

"The weather is so weird!" Like most people, that's my favorite expression for this crazy weather pattern. I blurt out, almost nonchalantly, this is the effect of global warming or climate change. That's it and then I go about the normal daily business as if nothing else matters.

Until recent events made me realize the impact of climate change. Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) submerged 80% of Metro Manila underwater as well some parts of neighboring provinces. A week after, Typhoon Pepeng (Parma) ravaged Northern Luzon. Huge amount of money, unwavering faith and courage, continuous moral support are necessary in the rebuilding of lives and properties.

Nowadays, the slightest rain and cloudiness alarm people. Facebook statuses are about the latest weather update as well as the latest weather related worries. People are afraid. I know some people who cannot have a good sleep when it rains incessantly during the night.

A tragedy made us realize how nasty the effects of climate change is. Manifestations such as strong rains which we have not experienced ever in our lives surprised us with devastating flood waters. Water world. What is next?

True, both the people and the government have their own major shortcomings before, during and after Ondoy and Pepeng. Climate change was not a priority in the government's agenda so it seems. Disaster preparedness was zero. Nobody had seen it coming. Did we, us people, take time to think and actually do our part to protect Mother Earth from global warming?

Now you can hear about climate change discussions from almost every group of people. The government is passing the Climate Change Act of 2009 and will create a Climate Change Commission.

As a citizen of Planet Earth, what can I do?

I will understand the platforms of all the presidential candidates and they must include concrete action plans on climate change and environment protection. Urban planning for one needs to get the government's serious study, recommendation and implementation. This includes strict laws and protocols on waste management system.

Save electricity. I have a habit of turning the television on even if I am doing another thing. Let me break that habit. Continue using energy saving lights.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Also, I will regularly use cloth bags whenever we do our groceries.

Make the shortest route possible, schedule logistics of errands to save on gas. Take the train whenever possible.

Little things like what I have mentioned can make a big difference if religiously implemented. Sharing during home owners' association meetings and office meetings are ways to encourage others to do the same thing. There are a lot we can learn through sharing.

My daughter is already aware of global warming and climate change as they are being discussed in school. What better way to reinforce her awareness but let her be involved in the things we do to protect our Mother Earth. This is her future after all.

***Read more about climate change from bloggers from all over the world at Blog Action Day 2009.

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On a More Optimistic Note.....

A link from Time's Tweeter caught my attention, Overrated Optimism: The Perils of Positive Thinking. Intrigued, I clicked on the link and read on. On my mind was what can be the perils?

I know that positivity resulting to complacency is one. It can be detrimental if all one does is sit all day, do nothing but just give oneself sweet talk that good fortune will come like magic. That will cause agitation at least for me.

The article as I understand it commented on certain groups of people and even organizations whose reading of positivism became more of wishful thinking to the point of sugar coating words thinking of this as motivation and optimism.

What comes to mind are the two leaders I encountered in my corporate life.

Mr. Action Man simply inspires the organization, from the lowest level up to the top management. He kept the flame, which was already quickly fading, so alive for the people once again.

We can attribute his charisma to sheer sincerity of his intentions. He is a man for others and truly an action man. He was very sensible and charismatic without being big on words. His words are not rehearsed but always with so much wisdom. His very presence vibrate positivity.

The work environment suddenly turned from tired and worried to one that is dynamic, positive and harmonious. True enough, our organization turned around barely six months after he assumed CEO position. The company made its profit after years of being in the red.

Then the torched was passed on to another leader. I commend her attitude for trying to reach out to everyone in the organization. I just don't know why her sincerity cannot be felt. She is good in delivering speeches, in making presentations but none of these were able to ignite the passion the organization once had. Even the middle managers do not feel any vibrancy on her leadership.

A leader cannot just be full of positivism and words to live by but lacking concrete and effective directions. The people will readily perceive false optimism.

Mr. Action Man managed to put actions into his words. He gets things done without much ado. He is very positive that the action plans will work and he, together with the whole organization, worked hard to make them real.

I can see where the article is coming from.

True, there were a lot of factors why the organization went back to being in the red. This is not to say it was just about the change in leadership. For one, the employees across all ranks and departments have their roles to play. The economy, the competition were the biggest hurdles (but that's why there are CEOs and executive committee).

But regardless of all these, an honest to goodness positive attitude and management are still possible as we have already proven.

"Stuff happens" as mentioned in the Time article but positivity cannot be discounted. Sobriety, when called for, should not harm our passion. Keep faith and optimism alive. Stuff happens and you start to be negative about everything, you're doomed. I still choose positivity. What else is there in the first place?

That's the point I want to deliver when it comes to creating and implementing positivity in our lives, professionally and personally. Positivity is bringing out the best in a situation, implementing actions with conviction with an unwavering faith and belief to what God can do in helping us achieve our goals.

One thing that did not sit well with me in this Time article was the way life coaches like Joel Osteen and Tony Robbins were regarded. These people live what they preach and they are not out there just to sweet talk the people. I did not mean to say the article implied something like that. But it felt like it downgraded how powerful and real life coaches like them are able to share to the people who listen and reflect.

"Optimism was not only patriotic, it was a Christian virtue, or so we learned from the proliferating preachers of the "prosperity gospel," whose God wants to "prosper" you. In 2006, the runaway bestseller The Secret promised that you could have anything you wanted, anything at all, simply by using your mental powers to "attract" it. The poor listened to upbeat preachers like Joel Osteen and took out subprime mortgages. The rich paid for seminars led by motivational speakers like Tony Robbins and repackaged those mortgages into securities sold around the world." *Overrated Optimism

I do believe that God wants to prosper us. God is good all the time. I will let this post end with this question again, tell me, what better else is there to believe? I will always choose positivity and being optimistic the way I stated it two paragraphs above. They are still more practical choices if I may say that.

Sport: Swimming

Swimming is said to be one of the best workouts we can do everyday as it involves movement of the whole body. I'm happy to note that this is one activity my husband and my daughter love to do. My daughter will also agree with me that it is one sport that gives so much fun. It can be a competitive sport or it can simply be a favorite recreation of the family. I can't swim alright but I can float and I can walk through the waters provided it's not beyond five feet, ha!

This is one of the reasons why I was so keen on enrolling my daughter in a swimming class. I want her to be a good swimmer and enjoy the waters as much as she can. She started at four years old and had been loving the waters since then. Last March, they had a preview of their swimming class for their Physical Education (P.E.) for this school year. Needless to say she had fun in the water with her classmates. Their P.E. on the last semester will be spent on the pool. Imagine the excitement of the kids.


Swim, baby, swim!

Can this pass as water ballet?

Fun in the water

Water baby
***See more pictures with sports as theme at Photo Hunt.

Music and Me...and My Daughter

"Only know wherever I go, we're as close as two friends can be. There have been others but never two lovers like music, music and me." Those were two lines from Music and Me, one of the songs of the greatest performer who ever lived, Michael Jackson. I will not really be talking about him but my daughter's love for music.

Love for music runs in the family. My in-laws and my father listen to a lot of Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Engelbert Humperdinck and Elvis Presley. My mother is more upbeat. She loves The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Everly Brothers and the like.

Definitely my love for music and my husband's were influenced by the music playing in our respective homes as children. It was music which made me first notice my husband. He was singing Doctor, Doctor by The Thompson Twins. I like that song. We used to have the same preference - pop, R&B, a little of jazz, new wave and alternative music. But my husband is inclined to classical and jazz music now. I stick to pop.

Then came our daughter. I let her listen to music even inside my tummy - classical yes, up to the time she was an infant. She learned all those toddler songs and nursery rhymes. At one year or two years, she was humming to a song frequently played on our music player - Cruisin' by Gywneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis. I remember she keeps on listening to it my ears almost bled. Haha.

As a tweener, she definitely has her own taste for music. Some I know like Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Paramore and my favorite too, Taylor Swift. A lot of her other favorites I don't know so I take my time to research about them like Boys Like Girls, Hey Monday, Panic at the Disco, Metro Station, Justin Bieber, etcetera.

She was really excited when we watched Metro Station's concert a few months ago and had her CD signed by the band members.


To support her love for music, we let her take up guitar lessons last year. She continuously play the guitar and tries to complete a whole song.




Watching the 3d concert of Miley also meant purchasing the CD.


One of our gifts to her during her birthday this year was a Taylor Swift CD but she's holding here what seems to be Jonas Brothers'.


What music keeps me company these days? Kanye West...no, of course not though I love his song Heartless. But I'd rather listen to the version of The Fray or Kris Allen.

Stay safe everyone. Let's pray that Pepeng weakens and will not wreak havoc anywhere.

***Read more sharing at Mommy Journey.

Realizations After "Ondoy" (Typhoon Ketsana)

It's quite hard to focus on the daily grind. Everything seems trivial thinking that the metropolis is still in shambles but this too shall pass. I have my own pressing concerns but it seems my world stopped. What are my concerns compared to the tragedy that befell my kababayans (fellow Filipinos)? Kaya ko 'to! Kaya natin 'to, mga Pinoy! (I can do it! We can rise above this, fellow Filipinos!)

Contributing in our own little way to help relieves anxieties. It should, right? But still whatever help we did feels so little and are not enough when we see on television what happened to our brothers and sisters just an hour or two hours drive away from our residence. Even the first floor of my father-in-law's house in Bulacan was submerged in water. They are safe now. My husband and my sister-in-law helped clean the house yesterday.

In the midst of all these, realization sets in that we are not in any way prepared. We do not even have contingencies at home. Nobody is taking note. We do not want another disaster like Ondoy, no. But we do not want to be caught unaware. We would like to take some measures which could come in handy, which could help us, if not us, the people in our community or elsewhere, or our relatives who might be needing them. (By 'we' and 'our' I keep on mentioning in the above paragraphs, I am referring to me and my family.)

1. Important documents are in a storage place easily accessible for us. This has always been the case but I became more conscious about it now.

2. Extra batteries for emergency lamps and flashlights. These we do not have so they are added in our grocery list.

3. Food, we do the groceries weekly but we need to buy more food that are ready to eat - bread, crackers, cup noodles (oh yes, we can eat the raw noodles).

4. We always have stock of 2 five gallons of distilled water good for four days but maybe I will add 2 more.

5. Put some clothes and towels for each of us inside a bag kept in a closet in an area easy to grab.

6. Charge, charge, charge cell phones. Have extra batteries. Take note where we keep our candles and matches. I have forgotten where until the brownout last Saturday.

7. Do I put in a plastic bag every night the school things of my daughter? Just a thought. Maybe only if it's raining too hard.

8. Secure laptop and pictures (put the pictures in one box instead of all of them on top of our cabinets). These aren't priorities but it won't hurt if they are safe when emergency calls for us to evacuate.

9. First aid kit or health kit including sanitary napkins. Oh yes, I just have to say that lest we are forgetting.

10. Reduce, reuse, recycle. I don't know any project in our community about trash segregation. I can start at home.

New media rocks. I'm trying my best going about my usual business but my social networking accounts are open for real time updates. It's like looking after one another reposting in Facebook, retweeting relevant messages about relief and rescue operations for the victims of "Ondoy". I sincerely hope those posts helped a soul or two.

The importance of communication cannot be discounted in normal situations much more during calamities. This made me realize that it has been 15 years since our PLDT landline goes dead whenever there are power outages. I remember I emailed about this concern four or five years ago and the reply I got was that the batteries on their main box(?) will be replaced. I did not follow up but this morning we did. Yes, we followed up after 4 or 5 years. It seems the batteries were not replaced as we continue to have dead phone lines during brownouts. "Ondoy" has to happen to make us remember this concern.

We emailed the customer care of PLDT this morning about this fifteen year old issue. We hope to have a working phone line even during brownouts. We cannot contact 173 or 171 so the next option was to email. A generic answer won't do. I hope they act on the matter quickly.

My Bayantel DSL (dis)connection issue seemed trivial with the latest problem the nation is now facing but I just have to say we are still having intermittent connection, running on its third week now. I will refrain from discussing it here further since we already emailed their customer support again as we cannot get through their landline.

For now, let me focus on the more important things I need to do. Help in whatever way we can. Clothes for donation are sorted. Will do groceries later. Attend church activity tonight. Count our blessings and pray for a quick recovery and for a safer, more prepared Philippines. God bless this country!

A Deluge Called "Ondoy" (Typhoon Ketsana)

I woke up at half past eight thirty in the morning yesterday. It was cloudy, the pavement was damp looking outside our house. It seemed it had just rained. I thought it was a good thing. We all want some cool air.

It rained hard after a while. I thought nothing about it. My husband went out and told me when he came back the street was ankle deep with flood water. Again, I thought nothing of it but was surprised our street was flooded. We have not experienced any real flood no matter how strong the rains were. There were drainage problems years ago which caused our street to have ankle deep flood water but it stopped as soon as the drainage issues were addressed.

My husband went out for the second time and came back telling me the water was higher than ankle already and the street a little farther was waist-deep. I couldn't believe it. How could it be waist deep? That area was very near ours. I went out to check myself. Oh yes, there was flood water on our street. Not really high but two or three houses' driveways were already with water.

I was praying please spare our house. I don't want to be lifting sofas and other appliances. I don't want to be removing water from the house. That's a mess. We were on guard on the rise of the water level.

It was a pretty normal Saturday morning in spite of being on guard on the water level. I talked to my sister over the phone, talked to my sister in law and my brother over YM, and watched my niece through the webcam. I heard of flood in other areas but it did not alarm me. My brother who was tuned in to ANC said "parang ilog na pala d'yan" ("seems like a river out there"). They live in the U.S. I thought nothing of it. I thought it was the usual flood that will go away in a matter of minutes, at least less than an hour.

I was logged on to Twitter and Facebook as well as Plurk and updates from friends, celebrities and news networks kept coming in. Oh no! The flood waters in Pasig, Cainta, Marikina and Fairview were rising quickly and steadily. My cousins were stuck along the road because of the grid lock and flood. My father in law's first floor was already under water. Streets in almost all areas of the metro were submerged in water. I was alarmed!

I love the rain, it always soothes me but for the first time in my life I prayed for the rain to stop. People were getting stranded everywhere. Electricity in some parts were cut off for safety reasons. We experienced two brown outs and for the first time too this did not annoy me.

My daughter said she was so bored. I just have to make her realize we should be thankful we are safe in our house. A lot of people were wet, hungry and scared on top of their roofs.

I texted and tried to call my relatives and friends to check how they were doing. I was relieved to read every reply saying they were okay. One has experienced waist-deep flood but generally fine and water subsided easily.

I mentally accounted what we should be bringing in case we needed to get out of the house. I told myself I won't be able to sleep if it will still rain during the night. I wanted to be updated what is happening outside especially the flooded areas. I was thankful the rain stopped, drizzling maybe but it was really quiet last night. No rain. I was able to go to sleep. On my mind and in our prayers was the safety of all the people still stranded outside.

I woke up dreading to watch and hear the morning after "Ondoy". Watching the news yesterday was heartbreaking. Watching and reading about the aftermath was devastating. The news, the pictures were enough to traumatize me. As of this posting, 11:16 PM, there are still people yet to be rescued in some villages. I pray for their safety.

Pangs of guilt, worry and fear are eating me up to the point of almost getting a headache with all these emotions going inside me. I have never felt this way before.

I am worried because anytime this can happen again.

I am scared because we are not prepared for any calamity. Nobody is.

I am guilty because I am sitting in front of my computer in the comforts of our house instead of out there helping in whatever way I can. I am relaying informative updates as a way of doing my part. As what has been said, if you really cannot help outside and might just add to the chaos that is going on, just stay put. Pray and stay calm.

We did contribute through our church this morning. A lot of our churchmates in Rizal were affected by the flood. It was nothing big but I hope it will help even a small number of people. We will sort out clothes tomorrow to drop off to donation centers. My husband will go to his father's place to help clean the house.

I was wrong to think that this flood only concerns my aversion to a messy house caused by muddy water. Metro Manila and nearby provinces were inundated. It was horrible. Watching the devastation was enough to traumatize me. I could only pray for strength of those directly affected by the flood.

I heard from updates that another storm is expected on Wednesday. Preparing for contingencies won't hurt. It's necessary coming from what just happened, massive flash flood surprised us all. I hate to say this but a tragedy like "Ondoy" need to happen as a wake up call for all of us. Noah built the arc when it was not raining. Let us bear that in mind.

In all these I thank God for taking care of us as well as my relatives and friends. I pray to God to ease the pain and fear of all the people affected by the storm and the flood. I pray for a quick recovery for the people, for the country. I pray for better crisis management by the government and by the people.

Prayers work wonders. I am a believer. That eased my troubled mind. Now we work hard as one to prevent another crisis. Let there be light.

*****
I'm glad Julie was fine after the night their house was surrounded by flood water. I pray Feng is doing okay. The first floor of their house in Pasig was submerged in water when Chats forwarded her text on Saturday night. We have not contacted her since then.

These Are A Few of Her Favorite Things

Do you remember Maria's song from The Sound of Music, My Favorite Things? If I will change the lyrics and replace them with my daughter's favorites, we might need a twenty track CD, with extended versions, remix and bonus tracks. My daughter has a lot of favorite things, persons and activities that keeps her occupied and wide eyed. Mamarazzi that I am, I keep snapshots of all of them. I would love to share some. Please indulge me.

She loves books which I have shared countless times in this blog. I have featured her showing a collage devouring her books. She can't wait most of the time that she reads her book as soon as we buy them even if we are still in a restaurant waiting for our food.


Books
She loves chicken fingers and fries that these are already staple when we eat out. I'm close to begging her to skip it and order something else. The second choice would be pasta in pesto sauce.


Chicken fingers and fries
This often happens with children. They have a favorite among the things they own that they won't let go. My daughter has an obsession with her purple and yellow hoodie. This is already like a part of her uniform going to school. Good thing it has a good fabric and color which does not fade due to laundry-abuse. She uses this like three times a week. I have to tell her to give attention to her other sweatshirts and hoodies. Also, she reverted to her favorite color, purple. From purple to pink and back to purple because according to her, pink is too girly girl.


This jacket and the color purple
She plays volleyball and badminton but swimming is still her favorite sport. She does not want to get out from the pool once there. She loves the water that even her shower time takes more than thirty minutes I have to knock on the door and tell her to finish bathing.


Swimming
Like most children these days, she loves using the computer and visit her favorite sites - Meez, Disney, Nickelodeon, YouTube and uses YM to chat with her friends. Reality is she can only use the computer on weekends on a limited time. On rare occasions I allow her to use it on weekdays especially after a trimester test, a sort of a reward to her.


Computer
My daughter is a craft buff. Sometimes she spends a few hours just creating her scrapbooks and collages. Here she assembled the 3D poster of one of her favorite celebrities, Miley Cyrus. Beside her are the magazines sent by my sister which mostly contain the tweens' favorites, Twilight, The Jonas Brother, Selena Gomez among other Disney stars.


Crafting and Celebrities
One of the best times she had last summer was spending time with her favorite cousins. They call this their "hang-out". She loves her Ate Jill and her Ate Tin.


With Jill and Tin
She lives in the U.S. but my daughter and I love Frankie, my niece and her only first cousin (my brother's daughter). Yes, we're a small family. And here's our favorite picture of her sitting on what used to be her favorite rocking horse which I sent her through Amazon.


Frankie

***Read more sharing at Mommy Journey.