CC: Our Talents

This week's theme on Couple's Corner is about our different talents.

My husband loves cooking, and that I believe is one of his talents. Cooking may be a skill for others but with my husband, it's natural on him, he can come up with a wonderful dish from whatever it is available in the ref. He can cook well I can say. I do cook but not too good as he does. His specialty is pasta. I love is tuna spaghetti in olive oil. Even our son looks forward to his pasta dishes. He is also good with Pinoy dishes, you should try his pork sinigang and pinakbet, the veggies are just right, not soggy. He has patience and uses the right timing in whatever he cooks. Just like now, I can smell the aroma of the pork bar-be-que he is cooking....can't wait to eat it!

He's into cars, too! He knows each type, class, forms and every details about it.

My talent on the other hand is on needle works, my specialty is cross-stitching, though I can work on crochets, knits, embroidery and sewing. In cross-stitch, I can stay up all night to finish on a project. One of my dream is to own a sewing machine. It'll be one of the things I'll be working on when I become a WAHM - I'll be using my talent and convert it to cash! Though I've been doing it already but not as a career.

Another talent of mine is dancing, but I haven't been dancing since I don't know when :) one reason is that my husband isn't into it. Not that he don't want me to but he doesn't know how to. I've been into cheerdancing when I was still in college and I'm proud to say that our team won three times :)

That's it, our talents...check out other couple's entry to this week meme :)

Dream Ferrari (Ruby Tueday#1)

My husband has been a fan of cars since I don't know when. Thus, whenever there's a car show in town, he'll have to drop by and check them out. Even with his cars, he tries hard to maintain them despite the tight budget. Though one was a victim of a drunk driver, the left side fender's damaged :(

One time in December of 2007, we went to a mall within the Metro and while strolling around our path lead us to a car display, a Ferrari no less!


As seen in this picture, even our son, at an early stage, shows signs of interest in cars...just like Daddy :)

My first entry for Ruby Tuesday...here are more, have fun going through them :)


Thanks to Dee, by the way for leading me to this Tuesday meme

Mellow Yellow Monday #2: Leon @ Jollibee

I admire the creator of Jollibee, his concept of the adorable bee for a burger chain really rocks. Need not prove it as you can see its presence anywhere you go in the Philippines, and there are a few branches already in other countries.

Me and my husband aren't much into fast food and we try very hard to set an example to our kids specially our toddler Leon, although we visit some occasionally to give in to our "temporary cravings".

Leon with his grin posing with his chicken bucket

Yesterday, our son just starting ranting about wanting to go to Jollibee for lunch, this was his first time to do so. We didn't give in because we already had something prepared for lunch. Though to pacify him, we told him we'll go to Jollibee after I come back from work. To fulfill our promise, we went to Jollibee for dinner. He finished his piece of chicken and rice with fries on the sides. After eating, as normal kids would do, he asked permission to go at the play area, to which we allowed.posing on the giant slide,
he didn't do the slide though,
'twas too tall for him, i guess


trying his hands on driving,
not surprise though as he is into cars
just like Daddy M

of course, the little one's not to
be left at home,
here's Maia and Daddy

here we are, simply happy :)

No matter what we tell kids about good eating habits, sometimes, a jolly smiling bee gets in the way.

my entry to Mellow Yellow Monday
here are more, just click on the badge

Mommy Moments - Park Day

My first Mommy Moments blog...today's theme is Day at the Park.

For us, a day at the park is better than strolling in malls. The greens of nature is far better than the cement and glass structures of malls. We being lovers of nature would want to instill to our children as early as possible our advocacy for the environment. Spending time in parks is a good start for toddlers.

Although we have parks in the area where we reside, we often go to the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. The campus is wide enough for us to jog around as well as for our toddler to release his excess energies.

our son @ UP Diliman when he was starting to walk

In December of 2008, we went to Bonifacio High Street when it was still relatively new. What's great here is that the management of the mall sets up various interactive displays which caters to children.Leon trying out the giant phone line
(his yaya is on the other end)

Also in Quezon City is the Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife. Here's where Haribon hold's its annual Million Hectare Walk in support of their project of forest restoration. It was during one of its event that our son won his first award...The Youngest Walker award.

Haribon's Million Hectare Walk year 2
Here we are with Leon's godmother Mithi pushing
the stroller

Youngest Walker Award
(Leon was able to make 4 full rounds
in the short route)

How about you? share you Mommy Moments with us. Click the badge above for more of the entries to this week's meme. Have fun!

Couple's Corner: Inexpensive hobbies

I came across Couple's Corner via mommy AC...going thru both blogs made me want to join this meme, so here's mine...

My husband and I have the same passion for the environment, we're into conservation. We actually met in the organization where I'm working now. He was the Membership Retention Officer back then while I was the secretary of one of the Directors of Haribon Foundation.

Haribon is a membership organization, and as it is, it entails for us to organize small activities for the members that is inclined to appreciating and eventually caring for nature. One of which is birdwatching. Besides being the organizers, we, too enjoyed the activity. Until at some point, even when there's no activity for the members, we went birdwatching. And up to now, though my husband isn't with Haribon already as an employee, he remained to be a member of the organization, we still are into birdwatching (on our own).

Armed with a pair of binoculars, off we go birdwatching. Birdwatching is literally watching birds. It's amazing to realize and learn that there are so many species of birds. Here in the Philippines, aside from the endemic species (Pinoy birds; birds which can only be found here ex. Philippine Eagle), we have migratory birds (birds that passes by the Philippines and settles for a while during winter season in other parts of the world and goes back to their origin when winter is gone; ex. Terns & Herons), and resident birds (birds from other countries that found home here; ex. Tree Sparrow, more commonly known as Maya).

Birdwatching is a hobby both me and my husband appreciate so much because we're not just having fun, we are also enriching our minds with the learning we get from it. In birdwatching we get to learn of the different bird species, we get to see the beauty of each species, we get to see their activities as a bird and we are reminded of the simplicity of life.

I mentioned, binoculars earlier, to own a pair will cost us quite a fortune, but for us, its inexpensive in the sense that as members of the organization, we are privileged to be able to rent a pair for just a few pesos. Although, again, if we decide to really get hard core about birding, owning a pair of binocs would be the first step. Others who are into photography can also use birds as subjects of their art.

It is also inexpensive in the sense that you need not go far or away from your homes, just look outside your windows and in your backyards, you'll get to find at least 3 different kinds (species) of birds.

In the Philippines, there's a lot of places where we can go birdwatching. Olango Island in Cebu is a great place to observe migratory birds as well as in Candaba swamp in Pampanga, it is where I saw a Mallard apart from books and paintings. Subic in Olongapo is a good site for water and resident birds, we go bat-watching as well at Cubi Point, also in Subic. In Subic, crows are common, bee-eaters, serpent eagles, colasisi and coleto can be also be found here. me @ the Mangrove Trail a birding site @ Subic

Mt. Makiling in Laguna is another place to go birdwatching, here you'll get to see a malcoha, just be fast, woodpeckers, sunbirds and munia as well. The 2 latter sites are a few hours trip from Manila. Even here in Manila we do birdwatching, the Libingan ng mga Bayani and American Cemetery in Taguig are birding sites, though the latter became strict in allowing entrance to guest. Here, we saw a coucal, sunbirds and pied thriller to name a few. The area where the SM Mall of Asia stands was formerly a birdwatching site. It is where I get to see a barn owl in its natural habitat. Some areas in Antipolo are good sites for birdwatching as well. Even the Ateneo University and UP Diliman campuses are great birding sites. It was at the Ateneo that I was able to see a magpie robin. At the UP campus, in one area you'll get to see waterbirds such as common moorhen, bittern and crakes. In another area, you'll find grassbirds, a family of crested mynas and the bright yellow oriole.

Yes, we're quite hooked on birdwatching, thus we're set to bring along our 3-year old son so that at an early age, he'll get to appreciate the beauty of nature through the activity.

There's one thing to consider though, waking up earlier than the usual...the best time to catch birds in their finest is at the crack of dawn...when they stretch their wings to fly and welcome another wonderful day.

It's great to share hobbies, how about you? Here are more for you to go through...

just click on the badge...

Mellow Yellow Monday #01

I went through photos to look for one that has yellow on it for my first Mellow Yellow Monday meme and saw this...A photo to begin with and with my son on it. Here's Leon wearing his "current" favorite shirt because of the super heroes design. It was given to him by my friend a year ago. Back then it was quite big for him yet but now since it fits him well, he would want to wear it every Sunday when we go out to hear mass and for our Sunday family day out. Sometimes, I find myself keeping the shirt so that he won't insist on wearing it. But he's definitely cute on it!

This is my first and I hope it won't be the last ;)

Click here for more entries to this meme

A week of Prayers

Just want to share this with you....my mom gave this to me 3 Christmases ago, still have it hanging on our dining area wall.A week of Prayers

Monday - WASH DAY
"Lord, help me wash away all my selfishness and vanity so I may serve you with perfect humility through the week ahead."

Tuesday - IRONING DAY
"Dear Lord, help me iron out all the wrinkles of prejudice I have collected through the years so I may see the beauty in others."

Wednesday - MENDING DAY
"God, help me mend my ways so I will not set a bad example for others."

Thursday - CLEANING DAY
"Lord, help me to dust out all the many faults I have been hiding in the secret of my heart."

Friday - SHOPPING DAY
"God, give me the grace to shop wisely so I may purchase eternal happiness for myself and all others in need of love."

Saturday - COOKING DAY
"Help me, my Savior, to brew a big kettle of brotherly love and serve it with clean, sweet bread of human kindness."

Sunday - THE LORD'S DAY
"God, I have prepared my house for you. Please some into my heard as my honored guest so I may spend the day and the rest of my life in your presence."

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

A piece of Scare from Typhoon Basyang

Typhoon Basyang (international code name Conson) hit Metro Manila slightly before midnight of July 13, that's what we actually felt in Quezon City. It came on hardest a few hours after midnight, first few hours of July 14.

We went to bed at about 10 pm on July 13, putting my children to sleep while my husband was likewise dozing off for an early rise the next day. I was still watching the late night news more about the coming of Typhoon Basyang. DepEd gave out early suspension of classes from Prep School to High school, which is very much being expected by many families. Despite the heavy rain I can hear from our window, the news told us that the coming typhoon wasn't to hit the Metro and won't be a scare to the residents of Metro Manila and nearby provinces. With the news that I just heard and wasn't really convinced by it, I tried putting myself to sleep.

But the noise of the roof of our extension house tells us otherwise! It was keeping me awake. I was already finding myself waiting for a piece of roofing to get off lol! I was beginning to get worried as my mom's room and my nieces' are in that part of the house. I was already starting to pray that we be spared from whatever harshness this typhoon brings. Until I heard a sound that really scared me plus a flashing light that gave me the adrenalin rush! I called on my husband, he too, heard and saw the flash of light. I asked him to check it out, the worst fear that I didn't want to experience was about to come my way...fire!

As he was going out of the house, my youngest brother was a few minutes ahead of him, and while opening the back door (which I can see through our bedroom window) another flash of light came through the window. At that instant, I took hold of my three-month old baby girl and woke up our 3 year old son, while shouting out to the nannies to wake up. I handed Maia to one of the nannies and got back to the room to get Leon.

While I was securing our children and the nannies, my husband was rushing towards the living room in which the main electrical switch is located, he immediately shut down the switch to stop whatever it was going on outside. At that point, I asked him what was it, he told me that one of the lights outside the house was on fire and the fire was already working its way through the electric wire towards the house.

Oh my God!!! Action-packed experience! If I decided to "really listen" to the news, we could have been burned to death.

Since it went brown out last night, just a few minutes from when my husband turn off our electric switch, we were not able to find out the source of the fire. Until this morning, we found out that the source of the fire was the poor electrical wiring which we weren't really minding of despite its very visible state. It sparked when while lit, water was flowing on it, sipping in through small cuts along the way.

My husband is now working on replacing the very poor and aged electrical connections. Good thing we already replaced the ones in the main house a few years ago.

It really pays to regularly check on household maintenance to avoid accidents of this kind.

Thank God that we are all safe despite the experience. And I say, we've learned from the hard way, scariest way!

Lotto Winners

Do you play Lotto? I do, but not everyday. One reason is, I don't want to get hooked on it. Playing the game regularly becomes an addiction. Second, it a form of gambling, which again can lead to being a vice. Third, my husband doesn't really approve of it as a source of good fortune, his stand, as mentioned, is that the game of lotto is a form of gambling.

Anyway, gambling or not, there are plenty of people who are into playing lotto. In the area where I reside and work, there are at least 4 lotto outlets and there is always a long queue in every outlet, specially also when the winning pot is like more than a hundred MILLION! With the hardships of life nowadays, sometimes people rely on luck to give them a good or better life.

The big question though lies in whether or not there is really a real winner. There is as being announced by the management of the lottery game but I haven't heard of someone who came out to at least attest to knowing somebody who won the game. There are winners of the consolation prizes, this I can honestly say because I've won like a few hundreds twice and two co-workers of mine also won some few thousands. Although I understand that winning millions of money can raise a question of security. However, it is also a matter of showing patrons of the game that there is hope in what they put their money on.

Breastfeeding Maia

Just like what I did with our eldest child, I do breastfeed our daughter Maia. I am aware though that each child differs in terms of their growth pattern. But as far as it goes, Maia grows almost the same as his elder brother's when he was her age. Now she has the lines in her wrists and legs that marks the weight she gains as the days go by.

I've been breastfeeding Maia since day 1 and although I've gone back to work, I still make it a point to go home for lunch to feed her as well as try my best to go home after an 8-hour job in time for her afternoon feeding. But she's now on mixed feeding, which means she also takes in formula milk.

A few weeks before I reported back to work, I slowly introduced formula milk to her. Initially, she disliked it. Even when she's hungry and as long as she feels my presence she won't take in the formula milk. Until I went back to work, missing her "natural milk" during feeding time was the only time that she opted to drink the formula milk.

We've decided to give her the same milk we fed Leon during his infant stage. So far, it's doing well with her and her tummy.

I must admit that mixing formula milk with mother's natural milk can be a factor to the child's weight gain. I've seen this with our son and now with our daughter. But the child's ability to fight common colds and the likes is solely attributed to the mom's milk.

I am at awe when I get to hear mothers who does not breastfeed their child. Reasons such as the pain they experience when they breastfeed or the awkwardness they feel during the act are just so petty as compared to the benefits it brings to the child.

Nowadays, breastfeeding is not only beneficial to the child, mother's as well benefits from it. Current studies tells us the mother's who are into breastfeeding will likely to have lesser chance to having breast cancer.

If only I can bring Maia to my workplace to make sure that I continue breastfeeding her, I would. I'm just so grateful that my workplace is just walking distance from our house, thus I am able to go home to give Maia the nourishment she deserves.

Given the chance I am really encouraging all mothers out there to breastfeed your child. Aside from giving nourishment to our children, the bond that develops from it is another good reason why breastfeeding is important.

To those who are still thinking about it, give it a try, submit yourself, it is still part of giving life to our children. And to those who is into it, Congratulations and keep up the good work!