New Year New Hope

It's only a few more hours before we say goodbye to a year full of tragedies.  A couple of weeks ago, the Philippines was hit by typhoon Sendong.  Crops and infrastructure were destroyed.  A lot of lives were lost.  Many young children and elderly died.  Those who are lucky to survive this calamity on the other hand have nothing to eat nor drink.  They even have no clothing to protect themselves against the cold nights.  

My husband and I used to donate used clothing and blankets to typhoon victims when we were still in the Philippines.  Now that we are in another part of the globe, we still managed to find a way to help the victims of Sendong.  Last night we took part in a fund raiser headed by a Filipino community in our place with the cooperation of a Chinese restaurant owner.  The owner promised to donate half of the bill incurred by the participants.  Apart from the donations (monetary and in kind), there was also a raffle which raised quite a decent amount. 

I do hope that Filipino communities from around the world also did their part in helping out these unfortunate people.  If you have not done your part yet, there is still time to do so.  The Philippine Red Cross is accepting donations through PayPal or credit card.  Please click on this link http://www.redcross.org.ph/donatenow to donate.  Globe and Smart subscribers can also help via SMS by typing the following on your cellphones:

For Globe Subscribers:

via SMS, c/o Red Cross – text RED <amount> and send to 2899 – valid donation amounts are P5, 25, 50, 100, 300, 500 and 1000 (For ex, RED 10). Transaction is free.

via GCASH, text DONATE<space><amount><space><MPIN><space><REDCROSS> and send to 2882

For Smart Subscribers:

via SMS, c/o Red Cross – text RED <amount> and send to 4143 – valid donation amounts are P10, 25, 50, 100, 300, 500, 1000 (For ex, RED 10).

May all of us be an instrument in bringing new hope to others.  Have a blessed new year my fellow bloggers!

Happy Holidays!

Temperature starts to drop.  Snow flakes start to fall.  Malls are crowded with people trying to get the best bargain for the items they are planning to give to their loved ones.  There is no doubt that Christmas is just around the corner. 

When I was a young kid (not so long ago :)) I regard this season as a time for family gatherings.  Around this time of the year, almost every family holds their family reunion.  People take advantage of this merry celebration to catch up on each other's life or for each member of the family (especially the distant relatives) to get acquainted with each other.  Usually there will be games not only for the young ones but also for the young at heart.  Of course a family affair held during Christmas will never be complete without exchanging gifts.

As I grew toward my teenage years, I wonder why people exert too much time and effort planning on what food they are to prepare for Christmas eve and buying things for their loved ones and for themselves as well.  Isn't it the time we should reminisce what truly happened on that night thousands of years ago?  Have we all forgotten what Christmas is all about?  May we be always reminded that this season is all about the coming of Christ.  It was the time when Jesus was born so that we may have an eternal life. 

                                                     Have a blessed Christmas everyone!

Six Things To Do For Your Health

A couple of weeks ago I had my physical exam.  It was mainly for health insurance purposes.  It has been three years since I have seen my doctor and because there are some things I want to discuss with him, I decided to take advantage of that visit and find answers to the things that keep me worried.

He ordered lab tests to check my blood, urine, vit. D, thyroid hormones, kidney and liver function.  When the results came out, I learned that I am vitamin D deficient so he put me on a vitamin D supplement.  That did not come as a surprise since I really do not want to be out in the sun because of my overactive melanin (hello freckles!!).

This PE made me realize that we should be taking care of our health seriously.  And so, I thought of listing down important measures we must take to keep us healthy.

1.  Get outside everyday or as much as you can.
Vitamin D is vital for our bones' health and we can get it naturally from sunlight.  Exposing our skin, without sun screen, to the sun for at least 15 minutes a day coupled with eating foods that contain vitamin D should be enough to get our daily dose of the vitamin. 

2.  Drink plenty of water.
Drinking water helps our kidneys to function well and eliminate toxins from our body.  It also keeps our skin hydrated to make it glow naturally.  One half of your body weight in ounces is a great place to start.  There is even an app that reminds you to drink water so if you are a smart phone owner, you can install this app for free.

3.  Keep moving.
Doing a 30-60 minute low impact exercise like walking and yoga everyday can get your circulation to move nutrients in and toxins out.

4.  Take at least 100 deep breaths a day.
Deep breathing massages your heart, calms your nervous system, and increases your energy.

5.  Make healthy eating choices.
Eat food but not too much.  Munch on food, mostly plants.  Remember to eat in a calm, relaxed atmosphere.  Enjoy your meal and don't forget to chew.  Do not be in a hurry.  Chew your food for 20 seconds before taking another bite.

6.  Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
If you do not get enough sleep, your alertness, productivity, creativity, and general health are all affected. 

I hope this list will help you start a regimen that would be beneficial to you health.

The Importance of Play

Not so long ago when I was in my toddler age, my nanny used to bring me to a neighborhood park a couple of blocks away from our house almost every afternoon. It was just a humble park with a big slide and around four swings.  One day I came home with a scratch on one of my knees and since then I was forbidden to go to that park again.  What my mom did was purchase a huge swing set so I and my brother don't have to go elsewhere to play.  And since we have a very protective set of parents, we were only allowed to play with our friends/neighbors on the condition that our friends will come over to our house and my siblings and I will never step out of our gate. 

 It was our friends who introduced us to pretend play.  We usually portray roles of each member of the family.  The eldest girl takes on the role of the mom who stays home and looks after the kids.  The eldest boy is the dad who goes to work and comes home at night.  The rest of the kids play the part of the children, the nanny, and the driver.  Often times  we use leaves or flowers from our garden as ingredients for the pretend food we make.  At that time all I know is we are just playing and having fun.  However, now that I am a mom, I learned the true meaning behind play.

Of course children play to have fun.  But that is not the most important reason why we should encourage our children to play.  By observing how kids play, I learned that play helps children grow in more ways than one.

1.  Playing outdoors keeps children fit.

Most kids, if not all, love to run.  So while they are playing tag or just running in the playground going from one structure to another, they are unaware that they are having a good form of exercise by burning calories.  Another benefit kids get from playing outdoors is that they get their natural dose of vitamin D from sunlight. We all know that vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium, thus making our bones strong and saving us from getting rickets.  

2.  Playing improves children's motor skills.

Every time kids play tag, jump rope, or play in the playground, they are helping themselves by improving their gross motor skills.  These activities entail the use of their arms and legs such that each time they try to climb up the slide, their arm and leg muscles are working together for better muscle coordination.  If, on the other hand, you have a child who likes to draw or color/paint, or is just plain crafty, he/she is still having a therapeutic form of activity my enhancing his/her fine motor skills.

3.  Playing enhances social skills.

Giving toys to your child and having him/her sit and play with it is not enough to help his/her social growth.  As a parent, it is our responsibility to teach our children how to make friends.  If we bring them to a playground or simply allow them to have playdates, they are developing the ability to interact with their peers.  Not only that, as time goes by they learn problem solving skills by knowing what to do when some circumstances happen.  For example, while your toddler is playing with his friend, his friend suddenly snatched his toy from him.  Your toddler's initial reaction is to cry or shout at his playmate in hopes of getting the toy back.  But as your toddler grow older and more mature, with your guidance, he will start to think of a more diplomatic way on how to have his toy back like using words instead of crying (i.e. I am not done playing with it.  May I have my toy back?).  Or he could just simply ignore the act and find other toy to play with.

4.  Playing expands imagination and vocabulary.

I am always amazed at how kids use a lot of verbal skills while playing.  Every time I bring my toddler to a  playschool, I see older children gathered at one corner pretending to cook something for lunch in the toy kitchen.  They seem to be infused with a lot of ideas on what ingredients they should put in and how they are going to cook their food.  I even remember one girl asking another girl if she wants to taste the banana soup she made.

There are many more benefits your child can get from playing other than those I provided.  Bottom line here is let your child engage in interactive play rather than having him/her play all by himself/herself or play video games.  If by chance, there is no other kid in your household your child can play with, then by all means do the honor and play with him/her.  So what are you waiting for moms and dads?  Go to the playroom and pretend play with your little one or head out and go biking.

Pre and Post-halloween Deal

The most awaited Stuff-and-Save promo from Old Navy is back! All Old Navy card holders can take advantage of a 30% discount on purchases using their ON card thru November 3rd.  Since I like buying everyday clothes from ON, I took advantage of the opportunity and went to their store last Friday.  I was thinking of buying a wool-blend coat but decided against it because I didn't like the cheap plastic buttons.  So I just bought a couple of thermals, four leggings and sweater dress for my little girl, a pair of ski gloves and two pull-over sweaters for my boy.  Not only did I save almost $100 from my purchase, I also got a $30 certificate from their SUPER CASH promo which I can redeem on the second week of November.  Now that is what I call a sweet deal.

Unfortunate Event

Today I read a news about a toddler girl in China who apparently was run over twice, once by a van and the second time by a truck.  I was hesitant to watch the video at first because I am also a mom of a two year old girl but curiosity got into me.  While watching the video, my hands were trembling and my heart was beating so fast I couldn't breathe so I'm warning those who have weak heart not to watch it.
Anyway, here's what happened.  The little girl was walking down a narrow street alone against the traffic when she was hit by the van.  Being a driver myself, I can assume that the driver of the van is only driving at around 15-20 mph and I can certainly say that he had time to hit his break.  So I wonder why he did not stop, instead he chose to have his van roll over the girl's fragile body.  What is most disturbing is the fact that passersby did not even have the conscience to help her.  They just looked at her as if she was just some dead animal lying on the street.  Then another truck passed the street, rolled over her body like she was a piece of garbage who can't feel any pain.  Luckily there was a good samaritan who took courage to move her limp body to the curb, cried for help, and tried to look for the girl's parents.  That was the only time the mother found out what had happened to her daughter and rushed her to the hospital.  Both drivers were arrested and detained but I cannot accept one of the drivers' reason as to why he left the girl almost lifeless on the street.  He said he'll only pay 1500 dollars if the girl dies as opposed to at least 15000 dollars if she lives.  How can a person say that?  Does he not have any child?  Who does he think he is to take away a precious child's life?  As for the mother, how irresponsible could she be not to know her child's whereabouts?  I strongly feel that the parents should also be held responsible for what happened to this little angel.

Here's the link to the video:
http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/26983425

The doctors said the girl might not make it but I do believe in the power of prayers.  So I am asking everyone who reads this to please pray for this little girl.

BC Bloggers

Two days ago I saw a post about BC Bloggers.  I learned that BC Bloggers help bloggers fill their blogrolls fast by being linked to the homepage.  So, I visited this site Mommy Diary and decided to give it a try.   There is no cost to join so all you bloggers out there who want to build your blogrolls easily, all you need to do is sign up to the link above.

Fall Is Here

I became too busy these past few weeks and didn't realize it was a month since I made my last blog entry.  Oh well, since the season has just changed I thought of writing something almost every family in this part of the world does every fall.

Fall is one of my favorite seasons because the weather starts to get cool and breezy.  Most people associate autumn to falling off of leaves from tree branches.  But before it happens, leaves must first start to change its colors from green to yellow, red, orange, pink, or deep purple depending on the variety of the tree.  It is fortunate that we live in a place where we can experience the four seasons.  I especially love looking at the streets lined with trees adorned with various colored leaves.  It is always great going for an afternoon or early morning walk feeling the cool wind touching your cheeks and hearing the crisp sound of dried leaves as you step onto it.

Autumn is not only about the leaves.  Most importantly, it is the time when apples are ready to be picked.  It has always been a tradition in my family to go to an apple orchard not just to pick apples straight from the tree but to have fun as well.  Since I am always the one in charge of looking for a place where we could have our adventure, I searched the net to see which apple orchard offers a variety of activities for the young and the young at heart.  And so I found this place where there is a huge corn maze, an obstacle course, a petting zoo, and a play area for kids. 

We arrived at the orchard around noon.  The temperature that day was 39F and it was really cold it feels like winter in fall.  We decided to grab some donuts and hot apple cider to keep us warm before riding the wagon that will take us to the corn maze. 

There were two mazes, a small one and a big one.  We decided to take the big corn maze.  At first, we were with five or six families but as we walk through the corn field, my family was left behind because we were the only ones who brought small kids.  I thought it was easy to find the exit by just going straight and following the path but there were several branched paths wherein we had to decide whether we should go left, or right, or continue walking straight ahead.  At the beginning my husband led the way but then my son started to feel uncomfortable and felt we were lost as we were already circling for 30-45 minutes in a six acre corn field so hubby decided to make marks on the soil just to know that we have already passed by that area.  Around that time, I decided to lead the way and after 15 or 20 minutes we were able to reach the exit.  We were so giddy when we saw the exit sign that we screamed and jumped as if we won the lottery. 

Our next stop is the U-pick apple station.  Upon arrival, we learned that only five varieties of apple (empire, gala, jonagold, cortland, and golden spy) were ready to be picked.  Since nobody in our household likes baked goodies with apple as the main ingredient, we just got gala and some jonagold apples.  My little ones enjoyed getting apples from the trees. 

Then we went to the petting zoo where my son got to feed baby goats and donkeys.  There really was nothing special about the petting zoo since the only animals they have are goats, ducks, donkeys, bunnies, peahens, and some chickens and a rooster. 

Our last stop is the play area.  The kids played the obstacle course for a couple of minutes then we headed to the jumping pillows where the kiddos bounced on huge air bed-like structure shaped like..you guessed it..a pillow.  Then they played in the swing, miniature tractor and train, and slid down the castle slide.

It was a very tiring day but I was glad the kids had a great time. 

Fisrt Day

Time goes by so quick and summer is almost over.  Today marks the day when I need to get up early every morning to cook breakfast and prepare my son's lunch.  Why, it's the first day of school!  I hadn't have enough sleep last night as I kept on checking if my boy is still on bed sleeping.  You see, he has a tendency to get overly excited and lose sleep in anticipation of the school opening.

As we got out of the car, we saw children and their parents coming from all sides of the street.  Some kids rode their bike while others rode their car.  We saw a few who just walked to school even if it was a bit cold this morning.  As usual, almost every parent was holding a camera to take pictures of their kid/s infront or beside their locker. 

We walked our son to his classroom not only to help him carry his school supplies but mainly because we, particularly I, want to know who his classmates are.  So I checked out the names on each locker while my son was putting away his backpack and coat.  The bad news is, his former classmate who always says things inappropriate for their age is in my son's class.  My son prayed so hard not to belong in the same class with some kids who are not so nice to him but still two of them are in his class :(  On the brighter side, his best friend is also in Mrs. B's class so I'm not worried my son will not have anyone to play with during recess.

While we were on our way to the parking lot, we saw some parents crying and worrying if their child will be looking for them or if they should have let their child bring his/her favorite toy.  It seems that the parents  were the ones struck with separation anxiety.

As for me, I'm just doing my everyday routine while waiting to pick up my boy.

New York, New York

When people talk about the United States, New York will probably be one of the first places that would come out from their mind.  I often see the streets of New York in movies and TV shows.  Seeing the high rise buildings, the flickering lights and the huge screens along Time Square, and the various colors of leaves atop the trees in Central Park during fall, I thought New York must really be a nice place to visit.  Late June, my family and I had the opportunity to go to New York only to be disillusioned with what we saw.

For a starter, we all know how terrible the traffic in New York is.  Well, that is true.  In fact people would rather walk than be stuck in traffic.  However, for someone who has lived in a place where traffic is horrendous like the Philippines, it really is not a big deal.  What makes it worse is the people who does not mind crossing the street even if the light turns green.  It is so upsetting that you can't even honk your horn at them or try to pretend you are going to run over them just so they would hurry up or try not to continue crossing the street because doing such is against the law.

Next is Time Square.  I'm sure everybody knows this place is lined not only with big screens but with shopping centers like Forever 21, Disney Store, and so much more.  It looks so good in movies that almost everyone would want to go there but do not be deceived by what you see in the big screen.  In reality, it is too crowded and full of trash like the ones you see in Divisoria.  The place stinks, it smells like pee.  It is nowhere different from the stinky smell of Quiapo and Binondo.  My son even quipped "New York City stinks!!" as we were walking to find our way to Central Park.

Speaking of Central Park, I know most of you are familiar with a scene in a romantic movie wherein one of the main characters is sitting on a bench while watching people passing by or for those of you who had watched "Bride Wars" there was a scene where Kate Hudson was jogging, that was shot in Central Park.  There are a lot of play areas for kids scattered all throughout the park where children can climb wall, play in the slide, make sand castles in the huge sandbox, or just get themselves wet in the sprinklers.  For the not very young ones, you could just sit on a bench and read a book or simply look at the passersby.  If you're lucky, you could chance upon some celebrities strolling in the park.  However, this place is not as clean as I envisioned it to be and the play areas are jampacked during weekends.

Of course an entry about New York will never be complete without mentioning the Statue of Liberty.  Yes, we had a chance to meet Lady Liberty via a ferry ride from the New Jesrsey side.  Before going to Liberty Island, we had a short stop at Ellis Island which we learned was the place where the first immigrants were brought to be examined by medical practitioners.  Based on a documentary we watched, these immigrants were thoroughly tested/examined for any kind of illness, including lice on their head.  The healthy ones were given their certificate which was somewhat similar to what we now call "green card".  The not so healthy ones were quarantined until such time they were disease-free and the not-so-lucky ones on the other hand were sent back to where they came from.  In the Liberty Island, one has an opportunity to go to Lady Liberty's Crown and view the New York City skyline.  We did not bother going to the crown because I am a bit claustrophobic so we just found contentment taking pictures of ourselves at the base of the statue.

Ellis Museum

We had a not so good experience staying in New York City because one of our tires was slashed by some scumbag while parked in front of the hotel so we promised not to set foot in that city again.  Besides, there are other places worth visiting than that over crowded and smelly city.  If there was one thing that put a smile in our face worth mentioning, that would definitely be Jollibee :)

The infamous Jollibee ChickenJoy

Crocs II

Okay, I just posted a picture of my new "baby" a while ago and I think it wouldn't be fair if I won't share what I got for my darling princess.  So without further ado, let me introduce.....

Shirley

Surely, Carlie and Shirley are the perfect fit for mom and daughter's pretty feet.



Crocs

I've heard horrible stories about Crocs shoes three or four years ago (e.g. the shoe getting stuck in an elevator or escalator) so I never bothered buying myself nor my son a pair for safety reasons.  However, last winter while at an outlet mall, I can't resist buying a pair of pink Crocs for my little one.  I even ended up buying another pair for my eldest to be fair.  Well, I bought two pairs mostly because the shoes were on sale at buy one get one free.  Think about a great deal!!
Last week I saw a pair of women's Crocs and I felt the itch to try them on.  To my surprise, they not only look good on my feet but they are so soft and comfortable like I'm having my bedroom slippers on.  Now I surely know why I often see kids, even adults, wearing Crocs. 

Meet Carlie, my first ever Crocs :)

Aren't they so cute?!!

First Post

Since I am a stay-at-home mom, I want to make use of my spare time and write..err...should I say "type" down anything that crosses my mind.  From how my day went down to the things I have just learned.  I may not write too often because I'm sure my days will get busy as soon as school starts but I'll try to post something at least once a week :)