7th

Today is her 7th birthday!

I was called by the teacher from school yesterday to come pick her up as she was having fever. The weather isn’t very friendly for the past few days so I thought she was just reacting to it. Today, she turned 7 years old and both of us stayed in bed as I have to be with her. She asked for a cake and I can’t even leave the house to get one. She wants ice cream and she doesn’t even want me going anywhere except where she is at. Yes, she is definitely not feeling well. When my mom came home from school, I sent her to get the goodies she requested and we had a mini celebration.

Happy Birthday sweetheart! I love you so so much! My baby is now becoming a young lady!

in a month

 

It has been a month since the last post and with this new entry, I am officially back. What have I been up to for the last few weeks?- a LOT.

If attendance for blog writers is a must, my excuse letter would go— Excuse my absence in the blogosphere due to the following reasons.—

 

- My daughter ranked Fifth Honorable on her Kindergarten Commencement Exercises making me an ultra proud mom and us a super happy parents!

Congratulations my baby Water! Keep up the good work!

- I always believe that chances are given anytime and that it is always never too late for anything and thus—I became a student driver and learned how to drive. My dear husband is my instructor- Right! He’s been told that he is crazy for doing it and not sending me to a driving school instead.

I know that I am a good student but that doesn’t guarantee that I am not allowed to snap at him when I panicked gets frustrated with all the driving instructions and it seems to be like most of the time. Ha! Ha!. I love you WCW, there will be less “tantrums” and I promise to get better behind the wheel. PROMISE!

-  Since kids are off from school and dear husband is home for a short vacation, we treat ourselves to a little outdoor adventure. We went to an old favorite field trip destination when I was small, it is one of Davao City’s landmark – the GAP FARMING. It brought back memories of my excitement as a little girl on a school field trip.  Among all those memories, the most significant was that my 8-year old birthday was celebrated here too.

 

our old photos at GAP FARMING

Latest GAP visit with the famous photo by the giant “KALABAW”

Our little adventure goes a bit extreme too as out highlight for the day became our last stop and that is ZIP LINING with my mom.

 

Extreme Zip Lining experience at Davao’s Zip City

 

- The HOLY WEEK is a significant, traditional and highly religious celebration that is practiced by the entire Roman Catholic population in the country, myself and my family included. As Husband dear’s short vacation is about to end, we offer the entire week to prayers. As the new fire and water continues to light the path of life and shower blessings to my family, we  lift our hands in thanksgiving on Sunday of Easter!

 

In a month of absence from blogosphere, I was able to give the keyboards of my laptop a vacation from my typing fingers. I had a month well spent with family bonding and holidays. I gained weight from all the meals and served food during celebrations and gatherings. I took lots of pictures to add to a fully loaded photo album of stories.

The month is over and everything is back to normal………

Happy Birthday Mama!

she was brought to this world with a promise of life ahead

and so she begins to take the steps

every time she sets her foot in a path

you’re the guiding strength that gives her a hand

for her every start that  looks so dark

you’re an unending light at every spark

for all the questions in her mind

your answers are always one of a kind

your words tells her the reason why

that in the sky full of life she needs to fly

when she is weak with all the pain

you cried with her under the rain

in a journey that never ends  in a mile

you’re on her side to make her smile

looking up to you as she is getting older

because she know what it takes to be the best mother!

Happy Birthday Mama!

I Love You so much!

     

-puddinggirl-

Chinese New Year of the Water Dragon

 

For Chinese, 2012 is the year of Earth Dragon in a Water Element year, therefore they call it the Chinese New Year of the Water Dragon. I admit, I can’t give a very logical explanation with regards to the analysis of Chinese Astrology. As far as I am concerned, my family tree never show a link that would somehow suggest a trace of Chinese ethnicity, however, my mother is fond of Chinese traditional rituals and customs practiced every new year. Most of the time, She doesn’t have a whole bunch of this so-called rituals for good luck but she will always see to it that she has the lucky-charms she thought would be necessary and applicable.

For this year, Mama brought out a Bamboo Designed Table-top water fountain.

FENG SHUI, from the word FENG which means wind and SHUI means water; properly pronounced as “fung-shwaey” or to most Filipinos as “foong-shooey”  is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both heaven (Chinese Astronomy) and Earth to help improve one’s life by receiving the positive element (thanks to Wiki for the description).

Mama has been told that, according to Feng-Shui, water is a symbol of wealth and prosperity and a good use of a fountain is a way of bringing positive energy of the water element to the ones surrounding it. The bamboo or LUCKY BAMBOO as called, is known to be one of the most important Feng-Shui cures and at the same time the most neglected. Bamboo’s vitality and strong growth characteristics together with its ability to live despite being neglected is the factor that this plant is considered lucky. The combination of both water and bamboo together is believed to bring all the positive energy of health, wealth , peace and strength in life.

Forecast for luck and prosperity in life such as what Feng Shui projects may serve as ideas or guides as long as it is use in a good way. For what is worth, I believe that destiny lies in a person’s determination, perseverance, strong will for hard-work and positive outlook together with faith are the key to success, prosperity and happiness.

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Our own Halloween Tradition

I grew up having our own version of Halloween celebration with my cousins and the rest of the clan. Years ago, the Philippines, does not practice the traditional Trick o’ Treat that kids go house-hopping knocking doors and getting candies, it still isn’t practice now, but some subdivisions and establishments were already adapting it.

Festive as we always are, our clan has our own version of Halloween. Back then, ready made costumes were not at all accessible and if there’s any, it sure is expensive. What we do is improvise. We dig from those old chest and boxes of ancient smelling outfits and wear them mixmatched. We attack our mother’s and aunt’s dressers for make-up and have 100% of fun.

Halloween 1989

Halloween 1996

Years has passed and we’re now grown-ups and become parents. We wanted our children to feel  the same excitement that Halloween would bring. From where we reside, the house to house journey of Trick o’ Treat is still not practiced but our own version of celebration is still alive, this time we have leveled up to the 99th floor of creativity and fun. As we call ourselves(my cousins and I) the clan’s second generation, we call our children the 3rd Gen.

The 3rd Gen – Halloween 2007

The 3rd Gen – Halloween 2008

Halloween 2010 in Manila – Kid’s 1st Halloween away from Home

Halloween 2010 @ Mall of Asia – Trick o’ Treat for the first time

 

Halloween 2010 – 3rd Gen goes ANIME!

Halloween is among one of the traditions I enjoyed and treasured as a child and I want my kids to have. They will sometimes appear to be negative at this. They may sometimes got stubborn and hates the preparation and stuff, but I know one day when they are all grown-up, they will look back and be thankful that they have this kind of experience and this kind of bonding with their cousins. I am thankful that our parents, our aunts and uncles have made this all possible despite the limited resources.  After all it is not just the costumes that matters, it’s the fun that these costumes have brought…and everything else in between.

Happy Halloween dear readers!

Related articles

• Happy Halloween (teensenglish.wordpress.com)
• Halloween and those annoying kids… (totalrandommadness.wordpress.com)
• I remember Halloween (relampo.wordpress.com)
• Mother Nature Totally Into Halloween (sofiveminutesago.wordpress.com)
• Halloween has ancient traditions (sdobbie46.wordpress.com)
• Halloween (online-pr.blogspot.com)

 

Gift Ideas for Christmas–#3

 

I started Gift Ideas for Christmas because I am oh so ready to be festive! I was thinking of our dear youngsters when I wrote the two previous posts. I didn’t get to shop before my birthday but I don’t mind it. Surfing the net this morning, I came across a couple of pretty stuff and honestly I wasn’t thinking of anyone but myself to have this “pretty stuff” I am talking about. This batch of Gift Ideas for Christmas will be good for your wives, girlfriends, lady boss, moms, sisters, aunts, and of course for me!( advance thank you! ha! ha!)

 

LV – Monogram Canvass           Softsided Luggage

 

Perfect for travelling that is why I want it!!!

 

Polaroid SUNCOVERS

My Auntie Inday from Canada gave me a pair about 4 years ago, I used them everyday since it is always sunny in Saudi Arabia. It broke because its too worn out and she gave me another one last year. I am noticing the scratches on the lenses lately and I know this pair will soon retire. Polaroid Suncovers is one of the things I can’t live without because it is perfect for my eyeglasses which I can’t live without as well. I can’t find this kind here in the Philippines.

 

      WONDERSTRUCK Perfume by Taylor Swift

I just want to add this to the collection. Besides, I love the girl and her talent!

 

 

  

  P U L S E    The Electric New Fragrance by  BEYONCE 

The bottle is pretty, and I don’t have any of Beyoncé’s perfume yet, so for the sake of collection…I want to have one.(wish wearing this scent would make me look like Beyoncé on that picture)

 

 

 

 

  

DIGITAL PICTURE FRAMES

Because I love family pictures and I love looking at them.. could any of the two or both from Sony Erickson or Samsung

 

 

  Kitchen Stand-Mixers – Just because I am a mom and a wife and baking and cooking comes with the job description. I guess I need one of the perfect and important tool to make me play the role better.

 

Well,… I hope I gave you ideas! How I wish I will find all of these under the tree or inside my stockings on the wall on Christmas day. I surely  won’t mind at all!  I promise to post more of what I can find.

Happy Reading!

Gift Ideas for Christmas

 

We are already halfway on the first “BER” month of the year. Malls, supermarkets and department stores are starting to put out displays for Christmas. I went  to  Mercury Drug this afternoon with my daughter to get cold medicine and I can hear the Christmas Carols in the background. Waiting for my turn at the Cashier’s line, I can’t help smiling and thinking that my favorite time of the year is fast approaching.

I love Christmas and like every little child the word Christmas rhymes with the word GIFT. !

The other day, I listened to my kids talking. Telling each other why they  like Christmas and young as their minds are the true meaning of Christmas which is the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ comes in secondary as the reason for celebration. Guess what comes in first? …. You got it! GIFTS! Ha!Ha!

Here’s some gift ideas according to my taste:

For our young ones:

 

 

Educational and Learning Aid toys. The colors will never fail to brighten up the little ones and makes them learn stuff at the same time. We can find them in any toy store. We just have to make sure it is made from a safe material.

  Five-Toe Socks- every kids would love them . This will may help to all those dress-up-tantrum kids.

Animal Back Packs with built-in hoods by Little Life. It comes with different colorful , cute animal designs. Kids will love having them on their backs. These will be very useful to carry our young one’s basic essential when going out of the house.

  Comforters for young boys

  Comforters for young girls

Gifts of this kind may vary from comforter set to per piece purchase like flat sheets, pillow case pair or the comforters alone if the comforter set could be a bit too much for a gift. These are the kind of bedding that young ones will enjoy and would still love to sleep on with even when they get older.

 

Well…. I still got lots of time before the gift giving day. I will be posting more of the gift ideas I will find. I am sure all you creative mommies out there have their own gift ideas in mind too. I want to hear them, mind sharing those thoughts?

Till next time…. happy reading!

 

***(pictures from the web)