May 2016 Monthly Roundup

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
- Hero by Samantha Young
- The Museum of Intangible Things by Wendy Wurner
- The Crown by Kiera Cass
- The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkokski
- Currently Reading: Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
- Currently Reading: Book 4 for Throne of Glass Series: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

What movies and/or TV shows did I watch this month?
- Once Upon a Time Season 3
- X-Men Apocalypse ♥

What special days did I celebrate and how?
- SUMMER!!!
- Mother's Day
- My inlaws' anniversary

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
- Because of the heat I've been having headaches/migraines once in awhile

What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family?
- Went to The Spa with my Mom and sister for a quick girl bonding
- Family Day of Eat, Swim and Eat
- Lunch out to celebrate inlaws' anniversary
- Watched XMen at the Director's Cut thanks to BIL for the treat! ♥
- Went to Kidzania twice this month with Mom (1st visit) and sister (2nd visit)

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?
- Itallianis with Sister and Mom
- Itallianis for Mother's Day Lunch
- Abe (twice) this month!
- Cyma for Mother's Day Dinner
- The Wholesome Table
- Teriyaki Boy
- JCo Donuts

What special or unusual purchases did I make?
- No shopping but I got two new purses from my Mom ♥♥♥

What have you learned this month?
- Never allow your stuff to enslave you. Meaning, don't accumulate too much stuff just for you to end up cleaning it everyday and maintaining it. Own less to have a better life.
- Remove the NON-ESSENTIALS - guilt/fear/worry, these are not from God.
-

Shoefie Over the Weekend.

It was a bit hot, still so I decided to wear shorts and a "semi-sandals".


I had a happy weekend! How about you?

Always be Kinder than Necessary...

I love this!


"No one has ever made themselves strong by showing how small someone else is."

...and I couldn't agree more! ♥♥♥



Sharing a Song this Sunday: Ships in the Night

Coffee and Cakes with my Highschool Friends

I'm so blessed in a way that I still see and talk to my highschool friends. Yes, after all those years (I won't mention how many!), we are still friends. That is a blessing, right?

So one weekend in September, 2015, we decided to meetup for this...



...and of course for updates about our lives too.

I just love them and I can't help but feel grateful for the gift of friendship. ♥♥♥

Quick Night Out with Good Friends

Good Friends + Wonderful Private Bar = Great combination for a quick night out.


I love that this venue for the quick night out was cozy and intimate.


...not to mention a very good singer for us during the night! ♥


I love nights such as these! I wish we could do this again one of these days! ♥

Wednesday Happy Thoughts

Happiness is...

1. Busy but FUN weekend!
2. Listened to Christian Emotions Talks last Saturday
3. FREE coffee from Starbucks. Thank you BPI!
4. Quick Dinner & Drinks Date with the Hubby ♥
5. Buffalo Wings, Fish Tacos and Drinks
6. Blogging
7. Project Life
8. BIL movie treat at the Director's Club
9. XMen Movie ☻
10. Never ending blessings. Can't Count! Thank you Lord!

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

Learning and Fun ALL in One App!

Ever heard of a game where you play and at the same time, LEARN? Yes, I know the moment you read that question, you will instantly ask, "Is that even possible these days?"

The answer is YES.

This is possible with Wisdomantics which I recently discovered at the Apple App Store. I know, how cool is the game when you relate it to spiritual growth? Wisdomantics is a fun game for players which allows them to gain the wisdom of King Solomon. Yes that is from the Bible verses. So basically here's how it works:

"This game combines 400 multiple choice quotes from the book of Proverbs, and a state-of-the-art interactive board game. The iPad users will also enjoy board game illustrations that chronicle the life of Solomon. The user friendly programming removes the guess work and blends chance, knowledge, and strategy. The first player to build Solomon’s temple wins!" - www.Wisdomantics.com

My weekends are meant to be spent with my children so I tried this game and guess what? The kids loved it too. In a span of a few minutes, all of us were able to read a couple of scriptures from the Bible. How cool is that? I love that the game’s major goal is to bring players together in a fun environment. So, this is definitely perfect for families like we have! It also imparts the families with wisdom from Solomon which eventually they can then apply to their own lives. Why? Because the 400 multiple choice questions/quotes are actual scriptures taken directly from the book of Proverbs.

This is the game that I've been looking for all my life. Well, I would say, "all my life as a parent". I noticed that kids nowadays spend a whole lot of time online. They cannot leave the house without their Ipads. Instead of playing outside, they are focused on their laptops/netbooks or computers. Kids nowadays don't watch TV that much anymore. And EVERYBODY does it, right, even us parents? We rely heavily on the internet. We read books with out tablets. We save emails, recipes, documents in our computer. Our photos are now stored in our hard drives. Everything is just in our gadgets, ready to use anytime we wanted to.

So the only thing that I wished for is to find a game that is suitable for my children. Some game that will allow them to learn and mold them into good Christians. And looks like God was listening to my prayers, because last weekend, I found Wisdomantics. I explored the game of course (and with my children) and I noticed that it is indeed very "lively" from the graphics to the color of the game to the game board itself. It actually illustrates chronicle Solomon’s life. As soon as you begin with the game you will notice that it is focused on Solomon’s most notable acts and achievements and end with a divided kingdom through his disobedience and rebellion. See, I didn't even know this particular story of King Solomon!

Another plus about this game? It is user friendly! It was sooo easy to use, believe me, even my 7 year old was able to play with it. And thanks to the pretty game board and illustrations, she was captivated. You can opt to play on your own (Solo Game) or with a group (Multi-Player Game). As for us, it is the latter.

Opportunites such as these make me grateful for the gift of gadgets and the internet. Why?

Because if not for the internet, I wouldn't be able to discover Wisdomantics, a beautiful game for families. And if not for the gadgets, tablets and smartphones, I wouldn't be able to play and discover this game. Thanks to Wisdomantics, my kids look forward to going home as soon as possible on weekends because we will be playing as a family. The bonding that we create while playing, the stories we tell in between our turns in the board game. I think this is the perfect game that we really need now and for the next few months. ♥

2015 Birthday Getaway: So Long, Batangas!

We didn't want to leave but we had to and eventually had to go back to "reality".

So, so long, La Chevrerie Resort! So long, Batangas!


Thank you for a quick but unforgettable weekend. ♥


We were able to relax and unwind and bond as a family. ♥


Moments like these are the moments that we will forever cherish and hopefully we will repeat again and again and again.

Makes so much Sense.


Yes. Simply let that go. And move on.

Sharing a Song this SUNDAY: Wake Up

Yes, it's time to wake up and enjoy the rest of the summer!


Happy Weekend!

Just dropping by to greet you all a Happy Weekend!


Happy to be able to spend a couple of hours with the Hubby too!


Good Coffee + Handsome Date = PERFECT Saturday Morning! ♥♥♥

2015 Birthday Getaway: Breakfast to Start Off the Day Right.

Yes, as they all usually say, eat breakfast before anything else. So, that's what we did on our second (and last) day in La Chevrerie Resort.

This cup of coffee made our breakfast even more great!


I loved this one cup of capuccino so much! And it perfectly goes well with my omelette and pancakes.


YUUUUM!

Our overall experience at La Chevrerie was short but definitely unforgettable. Will we ever go back?

Yes, we will!

2015 Birthday Getaway: Dinner Time at the A'Telier Restaurant at La Chevrerie Resort

Aside from the healthy food and the airy place of the main restaurant in La Chevrerie Resort, what I love about it is the variety of food that they offer. ♥


From Filipino dishes to Itallian cuisine, they got everything we craved for during the weekend that we were there.


But, for dinner, we decided to order this very good pizza for the whole family.


It was good and tasty and most importantly, the kids love, love it!

We are now excited for breakfast. After all, that's what vacations are for, right? (*grin*)

Wednesday Happy Thoughts

Happiness is...

1. Happy and relaxed Weekend
2. Kids for Christ Assembly
3. Family Time
4. Philippians 4:8
5. Daily Readings
6. A friend who brings you Up!
7. Project Life and Keeping Memories ♥
8. 1 Cup of Freshly Brewed coffee
9. Finished Photobooks
10.Summer!

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

2015 Birthday Getaway: Our Favorite Activity at the Beach

...which is finding shells at the sea shore!


Oh, the kids love doing this EVERY TIME we are at the beach.


And, look what they got!


How cute are these! WE all went home happy. (*grin*)

If it doesn't Contribute?


Sharing a Song this SUNDAY: Somebody To You

A beautiful day to dance away the heat. HA!

Missing Tokyo's Cold Weather

It has been almost two months since our family trip to Tokyo and with this uber hot weather, I'm already missing it. I remember we were there in Tokyo when Spring has just barely started so coming from a tropical country, that kind of weather was too cold for us. Good thing I prepared a loooot of warm clothes for this trip. I did a lot of research on what to do to enjoy the trip and enjoy the Cozy Winters.

This is a sample of our winter outfit. You would noticed how much we were all bundled up.


Yes, on a spring in Tokyo, this is what we wore. We looked like we were in a Winter Season. This is an outfit that a person from a tropical country would wear in Spring. (*grin*)

- Thermal, Two inner Tops, Thick Cardigan/Hoodie and Outer Coat
- Thermal leggings, Thick leggings, Jeans
- Scarf
- Double Socks
- Durable Sneakers for Walking and Unpredictable Weather (with occassional rain showers)

For the kids, here are the following cozy winter bundles:

- Thermal, Two iner tops, foldable vest from Uniqlo, Outer Coat
- Thermal leggings, thick leggings, thick skirt
- Scarf
- A Pair of Socks
- Boots

With these outfits, they felt warm during the time when it gets windy and cold.

I guess it takes a lot of practice in packing for a winter trip but when you get the gist and was successful, it is indeed worth it! ♥

(** More photos and stories about our trip soon! **)

2015 Birthday Getaway: Our Beautiful Room for the Night at La Chevrerie Resort

OK, I realized that I only got this single photo of our room from our overnight stay in La Chevrerie Resort.

Too bad because the room was so nice and this is the only photo I got. Oh Well. But, you can from this photo that my kid looooved our room. ♥


The view all around the resort was great too. It was homey and "instagram-worthy".


There is a certain vibe on this resort that I really love.


It felt like I was home away from my real home. ♥

2015 Birthday Getaway: Our Healthy Lunch at La Chevrerie Resort

Ever since Hubby and I became consciuos of our health, we make sure that we still eat healthy even if we are on vacation. We were so happy to find healthy selection of food at the restaurant of La Chevrerie Resort. ♥



And look, while dining we have this awesome view too!



And while eating we got company too!


HA! Yes, it was a giant ant.

It was a relaxed lunch with great view and healthy meals. We love it!

Wednesday Happy Thoughts

Happiness is...

1. Happy Mother's Day Weekend!
2. Was able to catch up on my reading ♥
3. Fun day at Kidzania
4. Impromptu Coffee Date
5. Good and Positive Thoughts
6. Place to Stay
7. Online Window Shopping
8. Decluttering
9. Making PB's for my family
10. Households and New Found Friends

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

2015 Birthday Getaway: Arriving La Chevrerie Resort, Batangas

After a couple of hours on the road to Batangas, we finally arrived at this haven...


...and was welcomed with a very cold drink.


YUM! Our road trip was well worth it!


With this view?


Oh yes, this is a weekend that is definitely unforgettable!

Sometimes...

This is a wonderful thought for today...


So true! Right?

Whatever you are holding on, LET GO.

Sharing a Song this SUNDAY: Rest Your Love

Do you feel like dancing today? Yes, the heat its stopping you to move but who knows, you might feel better when you dance. (*wink*)


*Dance**Dance**Dance*

Preview.

Here's a preview of my next post for the next few days.


This is our quick roadtrip to Batangas last August, 2015. It was quick but unforgettable. I was nice to be able to get a way even for just a few days.

So, watch out for more posts and photos soon! (*wink*)

What's your Child's Love Language? By Mariel Uyquiengco

I've always believed in knowing your spouse/partner's love language in order to express your love to him/her properly. And now when I found this article, I just help but share it here because it would help a lot for us parents to know how do we express our love for them. ♥

What's your Child's Love Language? By Mariel Uyquiengco

It’s so easy to fall in love with a child who always comes up to you to ask for a hug and often says “I love you, mommy.” But there are also kids who struggle to show affection or even respond to love shown to them. These are the kids who do not hug you back or even briskly remove your arms when you try to give them a bear hug. Dr. Gary Chapman, in his series of best-selling books about the five languages of love, says that every person has different ways of receiving and expressing love. It is important to be familiar with the love languages for kids in order to effectively connect with your children.

According to Dr. Chapman, the five love language for kids are physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, and acts of service. Using this framework, parents can observe their children and find out which language they use in expressing love and which language they respond to the most when receiving affection.

To start discovering your child’s love language, here are some ideas on how you can express your love based on Dr. Chapman’s work. Observe and note how your child will respond to you!

Physical Touch

For kids whose love language is physical touch, cuddling, patting, hugging, holding hands, running your fingers through their hair, or just laying your hands on their shoulders are perfect. They will feel so loved with all these touching activities. So give your child a hug and a kiss before he gets off the car when you bring him to school and welcome him home with the same. Run your fingers through her hair when you’re doing something together like watching TV or sitting quietly side by side. Cuddling as you read in bed together would be like heaven!

Words of Affirmation

Words have the power to make or break another person’s self-esteem. Kids who respond to words of affirmation need to hear loving words more often than those with another love language. It’s the honey that sweetens their life. Give honest compliments or describe something that they did that made you happy.“I’m glad you controlled yourself and kept yourself from shouting. I knew you wanted to shout.”Be careful too, of how you speak, as they tend to be more sensitive to one’s tone of voice.

Quality Time

A child whose love language is quality time can either delight in conversation or in doing something together. The important thing to remember here is that quality time means being totally present when you’re with him. How do you show your love? The easiest thing would be to put away your gadgets, establish eye contact, and truly engage with your child during your time together. Make time for regular special time together to give him something to look forward to each week. Play basketball, bike together, or maybe even jog together if quality for your son means doing something together. For most girls, quality time is almost always about having conversation. Make your child part of the process of choosing what to do too and do it together!

Gifts

Everybody like gifts especially kids. It’s easy to make them happy when you have the budget to buy something that they like. But gifts do not necessarily have to be expensive. It can be something as simple as getting your child a book to complete her collection, or maybe a cute spatula if she likes to bake. Gifts persons love to give gifts too, so make sure to show your appreciation the next time your child offers you an art work or a homemade card.

Acts of Service


Kids who have Acts of Service as a love language appreciate it when others do things for them, especially those which they dislike doing. Yes, you need to teach them how to make their own bed, but occasionally doing it for them while telling them you love them is a message of love that they will hear. If your child goes to school, make sure to send with him some lunch you have lovingly made, with a little note tucked in.

Discovering and learning how to speak your child’s love language will help you establish a connected relationship with each other. You will be able to express your love for him in ways that he will understand and never doubt. Learn about the love languages for kids and watch your relationship with each other beautifully bloom.

SOURCE.

MIL's 75th Birthday Party

Last year, one of the highlights of our year was MIL's 75th birthday party. We prepared for the party for a couple of months and we were so glad it turned out ok.


MIL was happy how it turned out too. The guests enjoyed the party so much.



Food was good, the program was great, it was definitely an unforgettable night!


We thank the Lord for making this party possible. Thanks also to the following suppliers for the hardwork.

- Labski Fotografi for the photos
- Lemon Three Films for the Video

♥♥♥

Wednesday Happy Thoughts

Happiness is...

1. Quick Getaway with our CFC friends
2. Bonding my Mom and sister at The Spa
3. Itallianis Dinner and then Coffee after. Yum!
4. Bonding with my Highschool Friend
5. Being More with Less ♥
6. Happy Memories
7. Survived our night at the Tent! ♥
8. God's Love
9. Law of Attraction and attracting God's Blessings
10. Summer!

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

Osaka Ohsho

The kids are craving for Japanese food lately so we decided to try Osaka Ohsho at their branch in SM Megamall.


I was surprised that the food was good!


Or maybe because we just loved Jap food? But the service was great too. We will definitely try it again next time.


Osaka Ohsho SM Megamall
3/F SM Megamall, Fashion Mall,
Julia Vargas Ave.
Wack Wack, Mandaluyong
(0917) 828-5011

7 Little Ways to Make Life Simpler


Sharing a Song this SUNDAY: Feel Again