After A Long Day.....

Sometimes things get the better of you. No matter how you tried to be rational, civil and level headed about matters, you just have to say your piece. You just have to let everyone know where you stand, be clear about how you want to be treated - fairly and with respect. It's not imposing respect nor demanding it but it's a simple courtesy that one should extend to another. It's good manners and right conduct to say the least.

It gets pretty annoying dealing with people who are fond of power play to cover their insecurities. Good breeding tells you not to stoop down to their level but moral responsibility tells you you just have to hold your ground, speak your mind and deal with them head on. And so I did without sacrificing integrity, professionalism and tact. Pat on the back for me.

Having said those, let me move on and do one of my favorite things in the world. One of them is snuggling with my daughter before she goes to sleep with soft pillows all around us on her soft bed with the blasting sound coming from the television as our musical score, showing an MTV of I-don't-know-what-band-this-time. Haha.

It feels good knowing that after a long day you are with your family who loves you the most and you love the most.

Funny

I missed doing Photo Hunt especially when I checked the comments and saw familiar names of participants which I used to visit when I was so active in this meme. But I am back. The blogging bug hits me again and I just so eager to keep on posting.

It's Funny for this week's theme in Photo Hunt. I'd like to share photos of my niece in some of her unguarded moments which we find cute and funny. They were all captured by my brother.

Here's one during Thanksgiving. Frankie, my niece, just had to take a bite of their turkey with all her passion. Haha.


The next two pictures were taken a few months ago. She fell asleep while playing the computer. Does it seem like she doesn't want to have anyone take her mouse away from her. Haha.


You are so cute, Frankie dear!

Claw Daddy

It was hubby's birthday a few weeks ago. It was just a family affair, meaning just us three. We had lunch and bought a few things in one of our favorite places in the metro, Bonifacio High Street.

Claw Daddy is the hubby's choice for that particular day. We did away with our usual order of seafood boil since I have been watching my diet. We can't consume them all. I was contented with my nachos and a few dips of carbonara from daughter's plate.

The barbecue sauce proved too much for me. I just really like my nachos simple - with cheese and salsa dip. I fancy the red chips though.


BBQ Nachos
The smoked baby back ribs isn't really appetizing for me. The charred portions are really bad. Scrape, Daddy, scrape! Well he knows it's not good so scrape he did.


Smoked Baby Back Ribs
The carbonara was really good. It has the right creaminess for my taste.


Classic Rustic Carbonara
Happy weekend! I am so looking forward to this weekend. :)

***More food sharing at Picture Clusters and Food Trip Friday.

Tokyo Cafe

Before the pursuit for my daughter's dress and everything else, we had a late lunch at Tokyo Cafe. I often pass by this restaurant but have never really tried the branch at SM North EDSA. I love their food display though. They are synthetic yes, but still appetizing.

My husband had lunch here a few weeks ago and he loved what he had. He told me what he ordered but it escaped me now. Anyway, it was a good thing there were vacant tables and there was a good spot where we can sit so we decided to try Tokyo Cafe last Saturday.

The restaurant is compact but it does not invade the customers' privacy. You can still carry a conversation with whoever you are with without the people from the other tables hearing whatever you are saying (unless you intentionally eavesdrop, haha).

The speed of service is just fine. It's like the usual fast casual restaurants. Maybe we waited for about twenty minutes for our food to be delivered. They served orders on a staggered basis.

The restaurant is small but I find it still cozy. I love the poster hanging in one of the walls.


Take note also of the mural. I guess that makes the size of the restaurant to be perceived as bigger than it really is.


Us. :)
We will definitely go back here. I was really satisfied with the food, the price is good enough. Tokyo Cafe was also the first restaurant I made time to give a tip to my network in my foursquare account. I just said they should try Creamy Ebiko Pasta. I trusted my instincts and ordered it. Anything with shrimps I adore, Creamy Ebiko Pasta for me.


Creamy Ebiko Pasta, P255
It's so yummy and the shrimps are generously spread. I don't have the faintest idea how they do it but the pasta tasted so much like there are a thousand shrimps in it. Maybe it's the seasoning they put.


Chicken in a Basket, P305
My daughter had her the Chicken in a Basket which comes with fries and of course, gravy. We ordered the 3-piece basket. The picture did not do justice but they're quite big. I just had two or three bites (I'm maintaining my diet) but the skin is really crispy. I love it that the chicken were able to hold the heat for a good number of minutes.


Pepperoni Pizza, P258
My husband, a pizza-loving person, tried the Pepperoni Pizza. I only had a slice but yes, thin crust is love! I love the crispiness especially the edges.

We were supposed to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but since it's three hours and we finished late with our little shopping, we postponed the movie date. Instead I bought my favorite chocolate cake from Mary Grace. Yummylicious too, sinfully delicious.


Chocolate Cake, Mini, P245
Burning calories after all these food.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! It's another week we are facing. Have a great one!

Vantage Point

My daughter and I spent a few minutes "arguing" about what dress we should buy for her. This is going to be used for our major church event next week. I thought the printed dress with frills and laces suit her. It's in between dainty and trendy. But she chose not to hear what I was saying.

It did get into me that she did not like anything I suggested she try. It exasperated me. I told her just look for something she wants. She wanted this black dress to which I said no. It doesn't match with the sacred occasion she is going to attend. I just had to let out a big sigh.

She's about seven months away from being a teenager and we are already having this "disagreement". I know this day will come. I heard this kind of story from my parents. I just have to accept that my daughter has her own preferences already. She knows what she wants for herself especially in what to wear.

Things ended well in our pursuit for her dress. It's a great thing that we both like what I picked. She wanted the dress so much plus the shoes we were both eyeing. And she had a bonus Spongebob shirt from me. :)

Generally, my daughter and I love to bond. There are a thousand and one things we love doing together. We both love shopping (what mother and daughter do not?). We both love books and a trip to the bookstore is one activity we both enjoy. We love magazines too. We love music though from different genres. I could go on and on.

But it's a fact of life that mothers and daughters have their own choices. We may like the same things but there will come a point that the daughter will take a different course. She has a mind of her own and I should respect her disposition and choices. Early as it sounds at 12, I want to be prepared for this. It's the dress now, I am not sure what later on. But I will always be a mother, ready to guide and coach her, maybe from a distance. I promise not to hover but stay at a good distance, keep a good vantage point. That should be fair enough.

De-stress

What do you do when you are so stressed? De-stress of course, at least try to. I have been under so much stress these days. How do we really get rid of the stress in our lives when we face the cause of stress everyday?

Well, sure, we should come to terms with it, treat it like a mature person would meaning deal with it squarely and look at the brighter side. Been there, done that, still doing it. That's what I actually do. Face what is stressing me head on so I can do something about it and then I can freely move on throughout the day.

Aside from that, other things work for me.

1. I take a deep breath, try to be still and pray. I am a living testimony that prayers work wonders. Whatever I'm about to do, I pray first. It gives me a light feeling knowing that I have my God with me all the way. Praying calms me down, this is my number one de-stressor. And it definitely works. Maybe not in an instant but you will see, things will just fall into their proper places. You will be amazed.

2. I exercise! I focus on burning calories and strengthening my muscles. I sweat it out. I feel so recharged after every exercise that I feel like I'm a new person after. I am reborn. :)

3. I do household chores. I cook even if there is someone else who can do that for me. I wash the dishes. I clean the kitchen. All these take my mind off whatever it is that is causing me stress.

4. I turn to multi-media. I read my favorite book for the moment. I channel surf until my mind bleeds and find something interesting. I surf the net.

5. I pour my heart out in my journal and then magically, I get to clear my mind and think straight less the emotional baggage of stress.

6. I think of my favorite things (think Julie Andrews, yes). I think of my dreams. I think of beautiful thoughts. I look forward. Remember, nothing lasts forever. Whatever is causing me stress, it won't last forever. This too shall pass.

7. I read inspiring stories. I look at inspiring people. They too get stressed out but they manage. So can I.

Sometimes it's easy to get rid of the stress we are feeling, sometimes not. But ask yourself, is it worth it? Is being stressed out worth all the trouble? My answer is a resounding NO. Give yourself a break.

In a nutshell.....Accepting what is.....doing something productive to counter stress while looking forward to a wonderful what will be.....praying.....calm me down.

Pixie Hair

I am loving the pixie hairstyle. I have experienced all sorts of hairstyles - long, bob, straight (as in relaxed or rebond), wavy as my hair is naturally wavy, big waves actually. But I have been sporting short hair for years now. I sort of got tired having my hair rebonded. For one thing, I look younger donning short hair.

Yes, I keep on trying to make them longer but it ends up short whenever I go to my hairstylist. Wavy hair needs so much maintenance. Now I want the pixie hair! If I'll have short hair, why not have it in style? Pixie haircut with highlights, in subdued colors. Just to make the pixie cut more alive. I just might do this before the year ends. It now fits my slim figure.

Isn't it fun to continue reinventing oneself?

I love these girls in their short, short hair, Emma Watson and Roxanne Ritchi from Megamind. Love their personalities too.

*Emma Watson's picture from Hello Magazine, Roxanne's picture is from nick.com.

Ready, Set, Go!

On this day of your life, Lynn, we believe God wants you to know ... that God will give you everything you need once you are ready to receive.

God is abundant and is only waiting for you to make yourself ready to receive what you truly need. Think now what can you do to make yourself ready?

I am so ready, God. :) I can feel it.

I am surprised with myself lately. I have longer patience. I am calm in situations which otherwise agitate me. I feel so happy with my husband and daughter. I am just so excited and looking forward to ---------------- this, these, that, those. Let me just keep them to myself and my God. :)

It's Hard To Look The Other Way

Things went fine today. All good as a matter of fact. The saying "the day will take care of itself" is true for today. Nurture your positive thinking and things will fall into the right places. I thank God for that. Smooth.

Snapshots of my day.....

I voted in the morning together with my husband. It's the local elections and we practiced our right to vote.

It's supposed to be a holiday but I have to be at the office in the afternoon for the monthly strategic review. It turned out good and suddenly, I really didn't mind if we were called to report for the meeting unlike how I was feeling when I first read the announcement for it. We are pressed for time as next week will be another four-day work week because of All Saint's Day. This was my first time to attend the organization's strategic review since I am new. I prepared for my presentation and glad it was a breeze. I know now what to expect next time.

There was good camaraderie among my colleagues. I hope this continues.

Great sales performance! My team and I received a commendation for it.

My daughter had her screening at the church finally. It also went well. She had her church duty tonight.

My daughter and I were able to schedule her reviews for their mastery tests in advance. :)

I was home early. I brought home siomai fron Hen Lin which really tastes good.

I had a fairly smooth ride even if it was raining.

And with all these blessings, it's hard to look the other way.

I was lining up in the taxi bay when a man carrying a baby appeared among the crowd. He was selling fresh sampaguita flowers to each person in the line. As expected most people ignored him. I tried not to look when he came in front of me. But I gave in.

I looked for my wallet and gave the man P20 without getting the flowers. On my mind was the money was for the child at least. What is it compared to how he must be feeling? He's not actually begging but selling flowers but with that pity-me stance, holding a baby on a rainy night. Talk about abuse. But what the hell. Let me spare a few pesos. That won't hurt me but maybe he'll use it to buy some food.

Did I just help a parasite? Well, he was selling sampaguita. Let God take care of the man, especially the child he was holding.

Home Sweet Home

It just feels good to be home. :)))

*Picture from All Things Cupcake.

My Comfort Zone

I prayed for this, for the position at least. And now I have it. I am tempted to tell myself be careful what you wish for. But no, I am thankful God has given me this opportunity. It's not easy but I know He has a purpose in giving this to me so soon. On my mind was I'll prepare myself thoroughly for this position a year or so after I've flexed my muscles some more in the corporate world.

Ironic as it may sound after landing this valuable but painstakingly demanding job, there's one thing I realize and this comes from the heart. My career does not define me anymore. Whereas before I see myself as a fulfilled woman having to balance career and family life, among other things, I see my life now in a different perspective.

Sure my career is very important because it gives me financial freedom. It fulfills me in the sense that it opens more opportunities to learn new things, meet all kinds of people, contribute significantly to the company and share my learning to my team and co-workers. I give my best in my line of work.

But gathering from my experience, everything is temporary. We cannot hold on to things or positions like our life depend on them. We will thrive, a great life will go on without them. Apart from my family, my happiness lies with the thought that I serve a God who never abandoned me in my life (even if I thought He did, shame on me), who always restores me whenever I go astray or failure hits my plans. I am comforted by the fact that I am secured because I have a God who sees me through, leads my way and helps me succeed. I have proven this since I was a child. I serve a God who does not mind if I am a vice president of a company or if I am a stay-at-home mom whose happiness is to take care of her family. Why would I mind either or other people?

I am calmed by the thought that God sees me as a whole person no matter what I do. I feel secured because God has given me the gift of faith. I entrust God my life for His plans for me, and my family, are always for the best. I have witnessed that so many times in my life. All I have to say is Thank You.

The Life of a Working Mom

In the middle of crunching numbers and strategic planning, I thought of what I wanted for the next day's lunch and my daughter's food she will bring to school. So I quickly called the house while managing the spreadsheet in front of me and asked the help to thaw the chicken thighs. I plan to prepare pasta with garlic chicken. Once I made the instruction, I went back to my excel files.

I was in the middle of a ManCom meeting when my husband gave me a ring. He has no work on Mondays so he personally takes care of our daughter. I was a bit agitated. Why would he call? Why didn't he just text if he wanted to say something? It took me a few minutes before I returned his call because the CEO was speaking and I was sitting directly in front of him so I just can't leave my seat. My husband just wanted to say our daughter did not show up during lunch time so he just left the food with the school guard. There was no answer from my daughter's cell phone according to him. I asked him why didn't he go inside the campus and looked for our daughter. He said our daughter's a big girl and she can take care of herself and she can call our cell phones or our landline if there's something she needs.

No, no, no, no. If I was in his shoes, I'll check my daughter in their classroom and just bring the food.

I just have to call my daughter and see what's up. Good thing she answered and said it took them some time to leave their Computer class so she was not able to pick up her lunch on time. I miss her when I heard her voice. My baby. I want to hug her right then and there. I can be a very cheeeezy mom, you know.

As an aside, why can't men be as detailed and as worried as women??? I remember a friend telling the same thing when her husband told her their daughter had an injury from her P.E. class. My friend naturally got worried but she can't get any details from her husband. Oh well.

There's a storm so I wanted to go home as quickly as possible but I was on the lookout where I can buy pasalubong for my daughter. I don't want to go inside the supermarket anymore as lining up the counter will steal some more minutes. Good thing there's a pastry shop and candy corner on the way to the taxi area. I was able to buy wheat bread for myself, hopia monggo for hubby and chocolate sunflower seeds for my daughter she loves. Seeing her giving me that big smile warmed my heart.

A Pleasant Surprise

Thanks to my good friend, Cess, for handing over an invitation to attend the Ipanema event at Trinoma activity center two weeks ago. It's great that we can bring the kids along. My daughter went with me and she had a great time.

We were pleasantly surprised because my two cousins with our niece were there too. One of them works for a magazine that's why she is a frequent guest in events. I'm glad my friends understood that I spent most of my time in the event with my cousins. We don't see each other much and this one's a very good time to catch up.

There were a lot of activities kids and adults enjoyed. My daughter tried wall climbing, in her flats. Go, go, go, daughter!


My cousin and my daughter had fun with their nail art. I allowed my daughter to have her nails painted just for that event. She was ecstatic. :)


My niece and my daughter had their glitter tattoo also. My daughter had a blue seagull because "Justin Bieber has a seagull tattoo on his right hip bone". There, she said it.


My cousin and I took advantage of one of the services offered which is the foot massage. Relaxing. And what's best is that we were able to catch up what's the latest about each other.


Will any event that matters these days be complete without the photobooth? Maybe not. We had loads of pictures here since there were not much people lining up. We took advantage of the lull. Whoever thought of this photobooth for parties and events is a genius. It's really fun!

Fro-yo and Blizzard

Frozen yogurt (fro-yo) is not for me. Even if I am into healthier foods this year, the taste of yogurt did not grow on me even with all the fancy toppings. I just find them nice to look at. Fancy, that's it.

My daughter does not crave for it as much as she craves for Dairy Queen's blizzard but she tries fro-yo every now and then...with M&M toppings.




***Read more sharing at Mommy Journey.

THANK YOU

I've been keeping a gratitude online journal since last year. I thank the Almighty everyday for anything and everything that made me happy.  But this day deserves a BIG, BIG THANK YOU!!!

All for your glory, God. Thank You.

"For today and its blessings, I owe the world an attitude of gratitude." (Clarence E. Hodges)

Big hug to to my big God. :) 

A Round Table Discussion with Professor Rolando dela Cruz

A few Saturdays ago, I attended a round table discussion headed by Professor Rolando dela Cruz, the president of Darwin International School System. Our discussion was focused on what schools can offer to help our students excel and make the most of their education, specifically what Darwin International School System's role is in the furtherance of Philippine education.

We spent a very engaging exchange of ideas for practically four hours. An overtime I must say for a lunch meeting. It was right timing for me as I am scouting for a high school where I can enroll my daughter next year. I have my own standards and preferences based on my daughter's abilities and inclinations but I welcome ideas from an educator and fellow parents.

Let me share the highlights of our discussion which parents like me can explore while guiding our children in the process of learning and education.


1. An education system which can compete globally hence should be international in orientation.

*Humanities is a part of the curriculum at Darwin International School starting from pre-school to high school. Japanese and French languages are also integrated as part of the students' language skills development.*

My thoughts, the integration of other languages is an important aspect in a multi-cultural environment. The world has long embraced diversity. The children can start through proper communication and understanding of the different languages and cultures of other countries.

2. An education system geared towards excellence.

*One of the goals of Darwin International School is to develop top graduates accepted in top universities in the country. For the record, 100% of all the graduating students of Darwin passed in the country's top schools.

• Ateneo, 25 %
• University of the Philippines, 45%
• De La Salle University-Manila, 92%
• University of Santo Tomas, San Beda & Mapua Institute of Technology, 100%

For the last three years, Darwin consistently topped the NCAE (National Career Assessment Examination) in the Division of Bulacan. This year, the school ranked 2nd in the National Achievement Test (NAT) in the Division of Bulacan.

3. Investing more for a quality education.

*Asked about the proposed 12 year education program instead of 10 years, Prof. Rolando asserts that "it should be 12 years of quality education". We cannot attribute to the 10-year education cycle whatever misgivings we have in the progress of our students today.

4. Asked by one participant about the one educational reform he can suggest that will give the greatest impact in the Philippine education system, Prof. Rolando replied, "changing the mindset by being accountable for your learning and education".

It's not only adding budget, teachers and structures that will help enhance our educational system but more on knowing that one is accountable with what you are learning and how you are using it. Education is personal. It is what you can do for yourself and eventually for your community. This goes for all involved - the teachers, the parents and the students themselves.



The participants with Professor Rolando dela Cruz in the middle and Miss Claire Agbayani, the facilitator (second from right).

*****

Professor Rolando dela Cruz is the president of Darwin International School System located in Bulacan - Malolos, Sta. Maria, San Jose Delmonte. He is a former UP professor, a scholar from different schools abroad including Cambridge University. Darwin offers pre-school, elementary and high school education. His school adopts a Cambridge-style eductation which encourages the development of a reading culture.

Darwin is the only school in Region III that offers a full-fledged Cambridge-based Honours Program wherein all enrollees need to maintain a very high annual average from nursery to high school. Darwin’s comprehensive internationally-oriented program makes its graduates shoe-ins for the top universities in the country.

***Check out more weekend sharing at Pixel Bug Weekend.

Weblinked 7.0

There's seven of us. We met each other through the internet. We all joined a group about three years ago exclusively for Filipino mommies. We visit each others' blogs and from there we were able to develop some camaraderie. What made us closer is the fact that six of us live in the same city, in areas near each other. One is from a different city but it doesn't matter. She joins us whenever she can.

Three years ago, one of us suggested we meet up and have dinner. And so we did. We met in a mall and had our first dinner at Five Cows. Only four of us were able to come but in most succeeding meet-ups, we are complete. We had our picnic, we had our Xmas party, we had our malling and eat-outs, we attended events a few times.

We created our own site catered to mommies all over the world, Filipino Mom Blog. True, we were not able to give this much attention as all of us have our own preoccupations in our daily lives. But we are still maintaining it and will relaunch as soon as we can. I hope we can relaunch this year.

What we are busy with right now as a group is our newly formed small company, Weblinked 7.0. It was borne out of Wenchie's entrepreneurial spirit. There is a big market for a lot of professionals, and people with businesses, which are very interested in creating and maintaining their own websites. This triggered her to tap potential clients and for us to start a web development group.

I will not go into details but this small group will evolve into media consultancy and events organizing later on. For now we are focused on website development and maintenance, which includes web content management depending on the needs of the clients.

Finally, I was able to join the group yesterday as it was a holiday. We missed Chats because of her migraine. Talk about wrong timing. We had our meeting at Figaro, UP-Ayala Technohub. It was very productive as we were able to finalize the first leg of our activities complete with target dates of completion.


Julie, Feng, Wenchie, Me, Cookie
We have different personalities but we have the same drive to make things happen. We have proven this in our individual lives, professionally and personally. I guess these differences in personalities are complementing as we have been together for about three years now.

Wenchie is the entrepreneur. Chats is the marketing person. Cookie can take care of legalities as she is very well versed in big businesses and her husband is a lawyer. Cess is a good writer. Julie has technical knowledge and has a resource person, her husband who is an IT consultant. Feng takes care of government dealings as she is very familiar of the procedures. I can do business development and financial and investment management - managing costs, expenses and how to make the business more profitable.


Julie, Wenchie, Me, Feng, Cess, Cookie
This project of ours excite us because this is something we are passionate about. We love the internet, its benefits and its power to send messages across millions of people in just one click.

We have to manage our busy schedules for this great project of ours. Admittedly, we have our own preoccupations. We are all mothers for one. I am in the corporate. Julie is a teacher. Wenchie is an entrepreneur and works part time in a government agency. Feng works too. Cookie presides their business. Chats does a lot of freelance writing as well as Cess and she's also into sales.


Cookie, Me, Miss Liza Maza, Wenchie, Julie
We chanced upon former congresswoman Liza Maza at Figaro. Wenchie introduced herself since she and Miss Liza have a common ground. We took the opportunity to have our photo with her.

She said it perfectly as a reply to what Cookie said that we have our "own things". Miss Liza said, "women, they always have their own thing". Haha. True.

Trust us, women, to make things happen. :)

My Dearest Friends

At last I was able to see two of my long time friends last Saturday. These two people are very special to me. They are my best friends. Our schedules just won't meet. We only get to talk through YM and that is on rare occasions only since two of us do not frequent IMs.

We comment in each one's status in Facebook but not much too since none of us are fond of posting status but we do send private messages every now and then. I am just glad this meet-up materialized finally. I miss them so much. It was a post-birthday celebration by one of them actually.

Real friends are hard to come by. I am thankful to God that He gave me these two great people. They keep me grounded. I can be myself with them and know that they accept me as I am - with quirks and all. They listen to me even if I just keep on repeating myself. They make time, even through YM, when I send a message that I need to just talk about anything under the sun.




J, L and me @Trattoria Gourmet, Shangrila. Good food, great friends. What a great day!
We are friends since college. I love them both. Through thick and thin, we stay together. There was a time I was missing in action because I was so engrossed with my work. The only world I know was my work. But things change.

Life has a way of balancing things. As I mature, there's this feeling that I need to reconnect. And I did. I am so glad I did. And my friends are still there ready to welcome me and pick up where we left off. Material wealth and professional success are not enough to give someone bliss and happiness. Friends, like family, matter a lot. They are there to root for us, to care for us, to scold us if needed, to be with us just because.

Thank You, God, for dear, dear friends. We have our differences and boy, they are a lot. But they don't really matter. There is understanding and acceptance. There is love...and tolerance? Haha. Bottom line, we are always there for each other no matter what. I love these two girls in my life.

"Tips From Your Everyday Experts"

Good morning! Before I start the daily grind, let me share a site which might interest you, the MOMs specially. I contributed a short article, "Keeping Up with the Demands of School", as part of the Tips from Body Builders of sustagen.ph.

I am sure most parents can relate. Isn't it that school is getting more demanding as years go by? It was "simpler" during our time. It's more competitive now as the world keeps on advancing. This is to be expected but still, the work load in school still overwhelms me most of the time. I attribute this to the fact that we have to compete globally, our children need to be more equipped in facing the world so to speak. I have concerns concerning curriculum in school but whatever my concerns are, still, my top of mind is how I can support my daughter.

In our busy lives whether we are working parents or stay-at-home-mothers/fathers, our foremost concern is still the well-being of our children. Like what I have said in my article, "a great part of my support is in ensuring that she manages herself well and that she has the stamina to do all the activities she participates in."




We look after our children - from the activities they are involved, the shows they watch, the sites they browse, the nutrition they get from the food they eat to the company they keep - the best way we know how.

If you have time, have fun with your kid and find valuable insights in raising or sustaining a stronger, healthier child.

"A site where moms and kids get to bond with fellow moms and child care experts for the latest tips in building a child's strength, stamina and immunity so he or she can better explore the world that is expanding beyond his home." (Part of the welcome note from sustagen.ph)

Dragons, Toys, Vampires and A Kid

I am excited for today's Mommy Moments. I knew right away what to share when I checked the theme last night. My family loves watching movies. My daughter is in her tween years and she is already keeping up with the movies I like...Or is it the other way around? I am keeping up with the movies she likes.

So far this year, there are four movies we both love. One is How To Train Your Dragon which is a movie about the transformation of a boy named Hiccup who wants to slay one of the most feared dragons in their land. Eventually, the goodness in his heart overpowered his desire to kill but instead a friendship between him and the dragon unfolded.



The whole family also watched Toy Story 3. We all loved the first two parts, it's but natural that we watch the last installment of the movie. Sad that this was the last of Woody, Buzz and the rest of the company. WE LOVE THE MOVIE TO BITS! This is what I posted in my Facebook status after watching it:

Watched Toy Story 3 tonight with husband and daughter. All fun! A very engaging movie with honest sentiments - leaving and letting go, adjusting to a new environment, trusting, friendship, togetherness. We love it just like the rest of the world. It's a movie with heart and humor. Good night and sweet dreams! Good morning and have a great day ahead!

Of course, this movie is included in the list - the third of the series of the Twilight saga - Eclipse. Just that I am a true-blue Team Edward and my daughter is a hardcore Team Jacob. My husband does not care one bit. In fact he never joined us watching any of the Twilight films. Haha.


I intended to watch Karate Kid with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan just so I can compare how it is the same or how it is different from the Ralph Machhio/Pat Morita's Karate Kid. It was one of the movies of my time. My friend and I lined up the movie house and sat on the stairs just to watch Karate Kid back in the 80s.

I once loved Ralph Macchio. I'm following him in Twitter now, ralphmacchio. It's good to know he is still good looking, leading a good life and seems to be a family man often tweeting about his family activities. I digress.

I was surprised to see that today's Karate Kid is also very engaging. The casting was perfect. I love Jackie Chan in the movie as well as Will Smith's son, the bida in the movie - Jaden Smith. But it's Taraji Henson whom I love the most. She played the Karate Kid's mother.

I can identify so much with her whenever she has to repeat instructions for his son. My daughter and I kept nudging each other whenever these scenes are shown. She can relate too. Every single day, I have to say the same things all over before she does them. Hmmm.


Noticed how we love posing in front of each movies' standees? Haha. We do that even before the movie is shown. As soon as we see a promotional standee, we strike a pose. Shallow fun for mom and daughter. :)

***Read more sharing at Mommy Journey.

Something Orange

The picture below was taken three years ago when The Simpsons Movie was shown. I asked my daughter to stand beside the movie's life-size standees. I love the dominant colors here - yellow and orange. I love these two colors because they are so full of energy and they make a place or a thing looks so happy. I love the orange sofa too. I'm thinking of getting an orange sofa to replace our dark blue one.

Can I relate to the characters of The Simpsons?



Homer Simpson is overweight. He is lazy and sometimes lacking in intelligence. What endears him to most viewers is his love and devotion to his family. That I believe is my husband's similarity to Homer.

I can relate somehow to Marge Simpson. I wouldn't have a hairstyle like hers but I will always be the guiding light and the great equalizer in our family just like Marge. :) I like her maiden name by the way, Bouvier.

I only have one child so let me see who she can relate to among Bart, Lisa and Maggie.

She is sometimes naughty but not as mischievous as Bart. She tends to ask a lot a little when things are imposed to her without her understanding why. Well, who wouldn't. So that gives her one striking resemblance with Bart.

Lisa is involved in a lot of advocacies and plays a musical instrument. My daughter plays the guitar and is a member of their music club. I wish she could be like Lisa loving vegetables more.

Well what can I say about Maggie? She does not talk. My daughter talked a mile a minute when she was a toddler but gradually lessened being talkative as she grows up. Maggie does not grow up. Haha. But Maggie is quite advanced for her age having been able to write her name in one of the episodes. I guess that's one thing my daughter has in common with her. She is most of the time ahead of her classmates in terms of what is new in books and music. She is also a wordsmith which her classmates love.

So maybe my daughter is a little of everything - Bart's steadfastness but a little hard headed, Lisa's love for music and Maggie's inquisitiveness.

Oh well, this was fun. I was only looking for something ORANGE for today's Photohunt. :)

Morning Calmness

Let me find time to squeeze blogging about a happy thought or feeling I had (and still have) this morning. Good feelings like these should be shared and post without delay (at least I've post it within the day, haha). This is nothing big but I just felt extra-ordinarily good from the moment I wake up. There's this sudden sense of calmness in me. I usually wake up rushing, hurrying to start the day.


This is what I have put up in my Facebook status four hours ago:

"It's great to wake up at the right side of the bed for no apparent reason. You just feel everything is right and you feel all light just because. That rhymes. :) I just thanked my Boss above for this feeling. Good morning. Off to my daily grind. Have a great day!"

That best summarizes what I'm feeling.

I searched for a happy image and then I thought of googling images of cupcakes. Cupcakes are so much fun. Just looking at them is happiness for me. I am on a diet you see. Haha.

I chanced upon this Cookie Monster cupcake and thought this surely represents this happy feeling. I love cupcakes, I love Cookie Monster, next to Ernie and Big Bird. :)

I pray the ripples of happiness never ends and the echoes of joy go on.

*Picture from this site, vi.sualize.us.

Cillian Murphy

Finally I was able to watch the very much raved about movie, Inception. I love it just like how I loved the first Matrix. But let me discuss about Inception in succeeding posts. For now, all I want to talk about is CILLIAN MURPHY (Robert Fischer in the movie). 

He was the Scarecrow. He became a transvestite. He was Red Eye. He had breakfast in Pluto. Soft, blue eyes. Wavy, short, clean - any way his hair is cut, he carries it well. He's a rock star, he's evil, he's nice, he's a nerd. His accent adds to his appeal. Pouting lips. Melancholy look. Cillian Murphy is beautiful. I feel like singing James Blunt's You're Beautiful.

I can't agree more with the article's title.  I see him as a refined Johnny Depp.  Like Depp, he is an actor who takes every role a challenge, does not mind how he will look on screen but gives depth to the character he portrays.  Every angle of his face and the way he looks at you speak volumes of character and experiences. He is such a good actor.

A quiet man who does not live like a Hollywood star - no bodyguard, no stylist, no publicist. He keeps his private life private. "I haven't created any controversy, I don't sleep around, I don't go and fall down drunk (from Cillian Murphy, Personal Life, Wikipedia)." He is married to his long-time girlfriend and they have two children.

Recognized for his talent, not just sheer beauty. Look here for his credentials.

I wish to see you more in the movies, Cillian!

Yes, I am in fangirl mode. :)

Another Get-together with High School Classmates

Some of my high school classmates and I had a get-together yesterday at our favorite restaurant, Cravings at Shangrila. We often meet here because it's convenient for most of us. It has space for long tables which we usually occupy, there's the salad bar for anyone who wants it. But next time we said we should change venue, just for a change of atmosphere. :)

This is the second time this year we met with high school friends based in a different country and vacationing for a few weeks in the Philippines. It's a great feeling to see familiar faces from one of the happiest periods of my life - high school.

Anyway, it was really exciting to see again a former classmate, one of my close friends during my early years in high school, after twenty six years. She is in the country with her family for a month-long vacation. This is the first time I have been with at least three of them after high school graduation. They had a reunion during the early 90s at Barrio Fiesta but I was not able to make it. In fact I don't think I even know they were going to have a reunion then. I was so preoccupied with my own activities that I was practically missing in action during those times.

I started reconnecting on 2006 and have not regretted it since then. In fact I have been immensely enjoying catching up with former classmates and friends, even relatives, I have not been with for quite a time.

I am happy to note that everyone is doing good at whatever it is he or she is busy with. Success is relative. One cannot argue with that. As long as you are truly happy with what you are doing, with what you have, and you won't exchange if for the world, you feel successful, you are successful.

One of my favorite sayings goes like this, "A man or a woman is successful if he wakes up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between loves what he or she does." Very, very true.

Everyone's doing a different thing but one thing we have in common is leading a happy family life. Some are in the corporate, some have their own business, some grew up to be doctors and lawyers, some are stay-at-home-moms and loving it, some are still single, some are already planning of how they will retire. Generally, we all are thankful for the blessings and times like what we are having - meeting each other again to catch up, reminisce the happy past we had and just be there and have fun with everyone else.


I love my high school life and my high school classmates! I keep on saying this, high school is one of the best times of my life. I will forever treasure it.

Dear Spammers

Your comments will be deleted. Thank you.

Spammers now have a new strategy. They leave comments like they are really interested with your post. Let me give them a few credits for reading the post. But still, you're spammers.

The Bangs

If there is one thing my daughter and I keep on arguing about is it's her hair. Her hair! I don't like the way she seems to cover her face with all those hair. She's fond of putting on her headband on the mid part of her head and let all the bangs fall over her face. It doesn't look neat at all. Why even wear a headband? And why even make your life difficult by having all your hair cover your eyes? These things maybe only a tweener/teener can comprehend and makes mom in her midlife like me dumbfounded.

Is this scene familiar? Did this happen between my me and my mother when I was my daughter's age? Maybe not the hair but something else. So history repeats itself. I know that that is why I always trace back how my mother and I dealt with our differences when I was in my teens.

Or maybe it's Justin Bieber's fault? You tell me. But at least the Bieber boy's hair does not cover his face. My daughter and I agreed that we will have her bangs trimmed to a reasonable length. She does not want it above her brows. That's fine with me.

We attended her cousin's debut last week and we both had our hair fixed. That was the time I had her bangs managed. I really like it when her face is clearly seen. She also feels so refreshed. But still she tells me the bangs should not have been that short. It will grow back again, honey.

This is the weird part. Now that her bangs is shorter, she takes it away from her face using an elastic band. Kids...(facepalm). I have no complaint though because I like it that way. Her face, her aura just looks so clear.

Children have their own fashion sense I know that. I even encourage that because it speaks of her creativity. But as her mom, I will make it known what looks nice and what makes her look like a child wanting to grow up fast. What, eleven is the new fifteen? You tell me because I don't know. I'm a modern mom but there's a limit to everything. And count that bangs in my watch list. Grrr. Haha.

I Have a Strong Fascination with the Grocery

Doing the grocery is one of my favorite activities in the world. Yes, I do this mostly with the family every week, on a Sunday, after church. Sometimes I have to do some groceries too during the mid-week when there are stocks which need replenishments. I do this alone after work or whatever activity I had during the day. This means I have to rush, beat the traffic, carry the grocery bag(s) all by myself, line up on the taxi lane and take a cab (if husband won't be able to pick me up which is what happens most of the time). I don't mind at all. The level of anticipation is like I cannot wait to get myself a reward after a long day.

The excitement builds up from listing the things we need (and well, yes, also a few things we want). I also get excited when I read a recipe I would like to try from my favorite foodie magazine. It makes me want to leave whatever I am doing and head to the grocery pronto.

I am trying to "analyze" a bit why I have this weird fascination about going to the grocery and picking/choosing each item with passion. I think it's because.....

* I feel so much a family woman when I am in the grocery and choosing food for my family. I feel so much like a mom and a wife. I get to attend to their needs, nutritional and otherwise.
* I am always on the look out for good buys which my family could use.
* More often than not, this is a family activity so it's time for bonding.
* I get to prepare and choose what they need for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner.
* I read labels up to the minutest details. One of the ways of educating my family of what's in the food we are eating.

Coming from the grocery, the first thing I do when I get home even before I change clothes is I neatly put up all the groceries in their proper places. It has to be FIFO for one (first in, first out). I want everything organize - in the cold storage, in the cupboard, in the breadbox.

I feel so fulfilled doing all these - listing the grocery items, grocery itself, organizing the items, planning the menu. And then I mentally account when I should replenish. Weekend or mid-week? Sometimes I still go to the grocery even if there is no urgent item that is needed. Maybe in my past life I was a supermarket mogul?

Family, friends and colleagues I have close encounters with know that it's my dream to own a grocery shop. Let me start with a mini mart, hopefully soon. For now, I am enjoying my trips to the supermarket.

*Picture from Getty Images.

Rhythm of the City + Brandon Boyd

I am a member of several pages in Facebook. These are the pages which I want to read updates in my news feed. Examples - Time, CNN, Michelle Obama, The Today Show, Colbert Report, The Onion, LesMills Body Pump among others. I have to admit though I rarely visit these pages unless I am very much interested with their updates.

But there's one page I never fail to visit these days everytime I log on to Facebook. It's the Vintage Sound of 99.5 RT (Rhythm of the City). I am just so glad to have seen the page in one of the updates from a network list. Most of the people are like me, someone who grew up listening to the music and the jocks of this radio station. The 80s were the glory years of RT. Always the first to play new songs. They play it even before it becomes a national anthem. There is some kind of exclusivity when it is played over at RT. A clique? Not really. Just satisfying a craving for some good, fresh music before the airwaves bleed them to death.

One great example I can remember is Lies by The Thompson Twins (neither Thompson nor twins by the way). Eat Bulaga's dance contest made it soooo popular. Back then, record companies promote a song, a danceable song, by way of a dance contest in noon time shows. Creative ha. I can still see on my mind the moves and steps and the sometimes out-of-this-world costumes.

Here is an example of those dance contests. 2:51, Lies but Flashdance here is the clear winner! :D


Anyway, like what I've posted in my FB status the other day, the Vintage Sound of 99.5 RT made me dig from my archive of songs and find the others in YouTube. Songs from the 80s and 90s. It's great to watch and hear the songs being posted at the page.

But well, this is not a vintage RT sound, but the fan girl in me (like what I've said in my Twitter) is alive again. It's THE BRANDON BOYD! Great, great vocalist. I love his rendition of Drive in this particular video, acoustic version. Suave, effortless, easy to listen.


I love the solo whistling. Brandon Boyd, may you reach greater heights in your life and career.

Agree!

Yes, I agree with this, 100%! Things change, people change, times change. We have to adapt, change if we have to and need to and want to. We have to want it, if I may say that. Work on improving ourselves and further enhancing the talent, the skills and knowledge we already possess. All these without compromising our values.

*Post-it notes left to their fate in public places.

My Diet Staples

I shared a few entries ago that I feel guilty whenever I eat. It feels like I'm getting back the pounds I have already lost. It's psychological most definitely. I have that fear of gaining weight whenever I eat no matter how small the amount is. I was even worried I might be developing an eating disorder.

Husband's words calmed me down, "you are managing your weight and not trying to kill yourself. So it's alright to eat." My daughter on the other hand will tell me to watch what I am eating so I won't bug her if I have gained weight or what.

I keep on reading success stories on proper weight management and I realized I am not alone in this kind of feeling. I was able to manage this feeling like what I have mentioned before by following the proper guidelines on the right kinds of food to eat side by side exercising.

I would like to share with you what mostly constitutes my daily meal or at least several days in a week.

Aside from fruits, it's wheat pasta. I toss in lean meat and crushed tomatoes or some vegetables like asparagus or broccoli. I just blanch them and mix in my cooked wheat pasta. Quick and easy. It makes me feel full. It serves as my lunch and my meal after working out.



I still eat white rice but very minimal. Just to satisfy a craving, half a cup a few times in a week is enough.

I take tea twice to three times a day and coffee, just once a day now. I would like to talk more about tea in my next posts as I have learned quite a number of facts about it. I prefer decaffeinated black tea and oolong tea.

At the gym, I look forward to my slice of banana bread and my oolong tea.


I also munch on cereal bars instead of chips and other junk foods. I do take a pinch of potato chips from time to time but it's very regulated, like five small pieces at the most. Just so I won't feel deprived. Haha.

I love chocolates so I chose the chocolate brownie flavor. A very good substitute. :)

***More food sharing at Picture Clusters and Food Trip Friday.