April 2016 Monthly Roundup

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
- The Queen (Novella) by Kiera Cass
- The Favorite (Novella) by Kiera Cass
- Unforgiven by Lauren Kate
- The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman
- Currently Reading: The Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

What movies and/or TV shows did I watch this month?
- Hachiko. I cried buckets of tears for this movie. Ack!
- Once Upon a Time Season 3
- The Huntsman, The Winter's War.
- The Jungle Book ♥

What special days did I celebrate and how?
- FIL's 75th Birthday
- SUMMER!!!
- Get Together with our Old Household
- Celebrated the Kids' good grades and awards during the Recognition Day ♥♥♥

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
- Allergies are bad this month :( I hope the weather gets cooler next month!

What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family?
- The kids went to Mega Sports Camp
- Ate out a lot this month for a lot of celebrations! Whew!
- Mom and Brother are here!!
- Went to Enchanted for my sister's family day at work
- Watched The Jungle Book with the kids. Great movie!
- Went for a 3D/2N getaway to Catanauan Quezon
- Went to Riverfront Garden Resort in Cavite with our old Household

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?
- Guevarra's to celebrate FIL's 75th birthday
- MIL's House for Cenacle
- UCC ClockWork
- Green Pastures
- Salad Stop!
- Fely J's in Greenbelt 5
- Enchanted Kingdom's Restaurants
- Catanauan Cove Yummy Food ♥
- Riverfront Garden Resort

What special or unusual purchases did I make?
- I bought a vegan leather sandals online ♥

What have you learned this month?
- Validations should come from GOD. Not from people, Not from your loved ones, but from GOD.
-

Life.




Yup, that's my little girl doing her thing! I'm a proud Mommy! ♥♥♥

Print on Print.

This was taken last year not during summer but it would be perfect to wear this right now? Right?


What do you think?

Happy THURSDAY!

Wednesday Happy Thoughts

Happiness is...

1. Getaway to Quezon with the family ♥
2. A Husband who patiently drives for 6 hours!
3. Family Bonding which happens only at least twice a year
4. Happy kids
5. White Sand and Crystal Clear Water at the beach in Quezon
6. Freshly Brewed Coffee
7. Home Cooked Meals in a Resort
8. Never Ending blessings ♥
9. God's Love
10. Friends

To know how this started and credits of the header, click here.

Quick Lunch Out with Mommy Friends

It was a "Mommuis' Day Out" and what did I wear for lunch?


We had so much F.U.N.!


It was so much fun to talk about anything about kids, motherhood and mostly anything under the sun.

We had dessert after lunch and it was soooo good too!


It was nice seeing you again ladies!





When we Crave Simplicity...


Sharing a Song this SUNDAY: Something I Need

Beautiful song - Something I Need by One Republic. ♥



How To Teach Your Child To Apologize Without Prodding By Mariel Uyquiengco

Here's another helpful article for young parents in teaching our kids to apologize, yes without prodding. Thanks MomCenter for articles like this...

How To Teach Your Child To Apologize Without Prodding
By Mariel Uyquiengco

Do you like it when other people put words into your mouth? When a friend assumes that she knows how you feel better than you do? I don’t, and I think nobody else does either. But as parents, we tend to do this to our children when we order them to “say ‘I’m sorry’” before they have even realized that they did something wrong or inappropriate. When you think about it, teaching kids to apologize is more than just directing them what to say.

Well-meaning adults must understand that children have not yet developed the ability to quickly assess or read a situation to take appropriate action. When we swoop in and prod them to “Apologize!” like they are some kind of robot, we rob them the opportunity to contemplate and come to a realization on their own. Mere words are cheap and can be uttered mechanically. If we want our kids to say sorry because they mean and feel it in their hearts, we must give them the respect that we give others and refrain from directing them to make an apology.

So, how should we go about teaching kids to apologize? Like in helping kids acquire good manners, the key is modeling humility to our children partnered with patience and understanding. Consider the ideas below on how to help your child develop empathy and not just mouth the words.

Model Making An Apology

Nothing teaches a child better than seeing her parents do what they preach. Apologize to others, including your kids. To provide insight, take one step further and explain the situation, how you feel, and what made you say sorry.

Share Your Stories

Has your child ever asked you to tell her a story about when you were a little girl? Take the opportunity to build a bond and share how you were just like her when you were little. Share your own struggles with asking for forgiveness. This makes you relatable to your child while imparting life lessons!

Be Calm


When your child hurts somebody, accidentally or otherwise, remember that children need more time than adults to process their thoughts, especially in a tense situation. Instead of bullying your child to automatically say that he’s sorry, narrate what has happened and guide him to guess what the other person might be feeling. Sometimes, they don’t even know that they hurt someone.

Acknowledge Other Forms Of Being Sorry

See beauty in kind gestures that are better than an automatic “I’m sorry.” A young child will hug, pat, or give some kind of comfort as a way of expressing his regret. Take it as it is and don’t expect more. He will grow up and find the words, unprompted, to accompany his actions.

Read Books About The Topic


Reading books give children the ability to make sense of an experience that they might have had and did not understand. It can show them what to do without the feeling of being judged. Some titles to consider for ages four to six are “I’m Sorry” by Sam McBratney, “Martha Doesn’t Say Sorry!” by Samantha Berger, and “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” by Kevin Henkes.

Teaching kids to apologize is not as simple as nudging them and saying in a stage whisper, “I’m sorry, ________!” If we want our kids to develop authenticity in their interactions with other people, we must model the behavior expected of them, help them understand their mistake, and allow their regret to grow in their hearts.

SOURCE.

1 Dozen Please.

Right now.


Well. I just hope it's possible. HA!

The summer heat is getting on my nerves so I guess I deserve a dozen of these? Yes, please!



Wednesday Happy Thoughts

Happiness is...

1. Super fun EK trip!
2. Family is almost complete ♥
3. Quick Roadtrips
4. Photos that make us remember the great memories!
5. Gift of Family
6. Hugs and Kisses
7. Pancakes and Coffee ♥♥♥
8. Sunday Naps
9. Family Get Together
10. Unlimited Rides at EK

To know how this started and credits of the header, click here.

Shoefie with the Whole Gang.

It was errands day one weekend in summer, 2015 and look what we all wore...


With the heat last summer, we couldn't resist wearing our most comfortable shoes!

How about you? How are you coping up with the heat?

Stay hydrated, everyone!

How about Working on Having fewer Ends?

This is a nice "food for the thought" to start off the week...


Sharing a Song this SUNDAY: Without You

Enjoyed the 2015 LiveLoud Concert

June last year (2015) we were so blessed to be able to attend a worship concert called LiveLoud.


It was mostly a concert conducted by the musicians from CFC Youth for Christ. And it was amazing!


Probably one of the unforgettable Praisefest I've ever been to.


Would love to go again hopefully this year. We'll see!


Partied All Night at our Friend's 40th

Believe it or not, Hubby and I did party all night during our friend's 40th birthday party last June.


Oooh yes, we had so, so much F.U.N.!


It's nice to go out sometimes to party all night!


So glad we were invited by our friends. See you again soon, Chikadoras!

Wednesday Happy Thoughts

Happiness is...

1. Kids' Awards. Yey! Thank you Lord!
2. Unexpected Blessings! ♥
3. Mega Sports Camp Tournament
4. April Birthday Celebration with our old CFC Household
5. Family Get Togethers SOON!
6. Summer is getting BETTER and BETTER!
7. New eBooks
8. Parenting Workshops Last Week ♥
9. More summer getaways/activities soon
10. Nap Times

To know how this started and credits of the header, click here.

Locavore.

Last summer, we celebrated Mother's Day early (since my Mom was leaving for the US). We chose Locavore.

Here are what we had on our table...







The we didn't enjoy the food that much. It was no big deal. But maybe we should give it a try next time?

Here are the details of this restaurant.

Address: 10 Brixton St, Pasig, 1603 Metro Manila, Philippines
Phone:+63 2 632 9600
Hours: Open today · 5PM–1AM

LIVE.

My goal for this year and for the rest of my years.


Sharing a Song this SUNDAY: Missin' You Like Crazy

A wonderful song to dedicate to our loved ones who we missed so much!

My In-Laws' 45th Wedding Anniversay

This celebration was actually last year so, yes, this is a late post.


It was a short celebration and yet very meaningful. This was a year ago and next month they are celebrating their 46th anniversary! Isn't it the greatest?

Happy Anniversary, Mommy & Daddy! ♥

What do you Think about this one?


Scary isn't it?

Let us not let these gadgets rule our lives, folks!

Wednesday Happy Thoughts

Happiness is...

1. Freshly Brewed Coffee from Dunkin Donuts.
2. Breakfast from the Hubby ♥♥♥
3. Looking at our Japan Photos. Would love to go back there soon!
4. Summer has officialy started!
5. Gift of Family
6. Hugs & Kisses
7. The Kids' smiles and laughters. Priceless!
8. Online friends and support group ♥
9. Meetup with College friends last weekend
10. FIL's 75th Birthday

To know how this started and credits of the header, click here.

Our 2015 Trip to Enchanted Kingdom

Missing our trip to EK last April, 2015.




I wonder when will be our next? We'll see...

Sharing a Song this SUNDAY: My Father, My Teacher

Here's a beautiful video I came across last week that I would like to share here.

For all the fathers out there, this one is for you.