Random Thoughts

This is probably the hardest among the 7 steps to achieving greater happiness by Andrew Matthews!

BE FLEXIBLE!

Here's a recipe for permanent misery ...

Decide how you think the world SHOULD be.

Then, when life doesn't obey your rules, get angry!
That's what miserable people do!

Let's say you expect that:
* People SHOULD appreciate you.
* Planes SHOULD arrive on time.
* Your husband SHOULD remember your birthday.

Sounds reasonable ...
but often, these things won't happen!
So you end up frustrated.

Happy people make fewer DEMANDS on life.
Instead, they have PREFERENCES!

They say:
"I would prefer "A", but if "B" happens, it's OK too!"

I PREFER the neighbours to be quiet -
but if they make a noise, I can handle it.

I PREFER people to see my point of view - but when they disagree, it is OK.

You have preferences about the outcome of your plans, but you accept WHATEVER happens.

So your mission today?
Instead of making DEMANDS on life and people, have PREFERENCES.

There are two ways to become happier:
a) change the world, or
b) change your thinking.

It is easier to change your thinking!

He sure is right about that! It is easier to change your thinking than to change the world!

A few more hours and 2011 is about to start! This sure is a great way to start the year - achieve greater happiness!

Grab the 7 steps to greater happiness at Andrew Matthews website.

Another one of favorites! The 5th step to achieving greater happines by Andrew Matthews is...

COMPLIMENTS

Some people notice the BEAUTIFUL view.
Some people notice only the DIRTY window!

Your happiness depends on what you DECIDE to notice.

So here's today's exercise:
Step 1: Look for ONE QUALITY in every person you meet.
Step 2: Give them a COMPLIMENT ...

"That is a stunning outfit!"
"You are an inspiring teacher."
"You have a beautiful smile!"

Remember, a compliment is NOT flattery!
Flattery is insincere.
A compliment is SINCERE RECOGNITION of someone's qualities.

Most people feel UNDER-APPRECIATED!
When you give them compliments, you light up their day.

And here's the bonus:

To pay compliments, you have to focus on the positive.
So it makes YOU happier!

Yes, spreading positive vibes to the people would make you happy too! I love getting compliments, but I will try my best to give compliments this time.

Grabbed this at Andrew Matthews website.

Mine was full of fun with my family. This year was a bit different since we spent the Christmas with the in-laws. We stayed there for 2 nights to spend the Christmas. My kids had so much fun playing with their cousins. We were so busy the past few weeks that it was great to be able to relax for awhile and plan for the next trip. We are thinking of going outdoors this time since we've been staying inside the house for weeks preparing for the Holidays. The kids getting sick is also the reason for just staying at home during the weekends. Now, I'm checking out uncle mikes stuff and see if I would need these on our next trip in 2011.

The fourth step in achieving greater happiness by Andrew Matthews is...

FORGIVING PEOPLE

Where do we get the idea that if WE don't forgive people, THEY suffer?
It's nuts!

Let's say:
a) You are my boss and you give me the sack, or
b) You are my girl and you run off with my best friend.

So I say, "I'll NEVER forgive you!"
Who suffers?

NOT YOU!
I get the knot in my stomach.
I lose the sleep.
You are probably out partying!

While I resent you, I SUFFER!
Meanwhile I tell myself, "I'm right!"
But being "RIGHT" doesn't guarantee happiness.

Here's the point ...
To forgive someone, you don't have to AGREE with what they did.
You just have to want your life to work.

You don't forgive people for THEIR benefit.
You do it for YOUR benefit.

So this is your mission for the next 24 hours:

Think of someone that has hurt you.
Just today, practise letting go of all resentment toward them.

Gather all your ANGRY thoughts -
those "I am right and they are wrong" thoughts, and let them go.

You may like to use your creative imagination ...
.. put all that resentment into an imaginary balloon, and let it float away.

Throughout the day, repeat the process.
You will feel better.

Forgiving people may be tough, but is possible.
You forgive people for YOUR benefit.
It makes YOU happier.

I totally agree. When you are carrying those hatred and pain against people, you tend to be unhappy. And the only way to achieve greater happiness is to let go of the past hurts and forgive.

The 7 Days to Greater Happiness is grabbed from Andrew Matthews' website.

Another one of my favorite from Andrew Matthews' step 3 to achieving greater happiness in your life...

KICK THE WORRY HABIT

Most of us WORRY.
Some people will even tell you that you SHOULD worry!
But worrying is worse than USELESS!

Firstly, it attracts misfortune.
Secondly, it is bad for your health!

So what should you do about worry?
POSTPONE it!

TAKE ACTION first - and postpone worry indefinitely.
That's what effective people do.

Here is your mission for the next 24 hours:
Whenever you want to worry, ask yourself, "What is the problem RIGHT NOW?"

Guess what you'll find ...
Unless you are in a life threatening situation, you DON'T have a problem.

Look at your life.
Has there ever been a situation you didn't survive?
There hasn't!

You can HANDLE the present.
It is just the FUTURE that gives you trouble!
So your mission is to focus on the present.

Your mind will want to drift into the future.
Your mind will want to ask questions like: "What happens if ...?"

Drag it back to the PRESENT.

Tell yourself:
"If there is SOMETHING I can do now, I will do it."
"If there is NOTHING I can do right now, I refuse to worry."

Make this your motto:
"I take whatever action I can now - and I postpone worry!"
"I deal with problems MOMENT BY MOMENT."

I love it! I'm the ultimate worrier and if not for this third step, I wouldn't know that worrying is actually hindering me to a happy life.

From now on, "I deal with problems MOMENT BY MOMENT".

You can grab Andrew Matthews' 7 Days to Greater Happiness here.

This is probably my favorite part of this series. Andrew Matthews' second step to greater happiness!

SUPPORT YOURSELF!

Some people constantly CRITICISE themselves.
They say things like:
"I'm FAT."
"I'm BORING."
"Watch me SCREW THIS UP!"

There are two problems with criticizing yourself:

Firstly:
You BECOME what you think about.
So when you criticize your own performance, it gets worse!

Secondly:
Criticizing yourself IRRITATES other people.
Eventually, even your friends will want to smack you in the mouth!

Self criticism is not humility, it's stupidity.

So this is your job for the next 24 hours:
Notice what you say about yourself.

Starting today, say ONLY GOOD THINGS about you!
If you have nothing good to say, say nothing!

And the result?
1. You'll feel better.
2. You won't irritate other people.
3. Your performance will improve.

Just today, support yourself!
You may choose to make it a lifelong habit!

I love how he said about self-criticism - it is not humility, but it's stupidity. So true!

You can grab Andrew Matthews 7 Days of Greater Happiness here.

As a gift to my blog readers, I'm sharing Andrew Matthews' 7 Days to Greater Happiness starting today. I got it through email by signing up through his website. Want to be achieve greater happiness in your life? Here's the first step:

LOOK FOR GOOD THINGS!

Take a look at the HAPPIEST people you know
and you will notice something.
They haven't had the EASIEST lives!
Happy people have usually suffered and struggled MORE than most.
But in the process, they have learned to look for GOOD THINGS in life.

And have you noticed this ...
When we look for good things in situations - or people - we FIND them.
When we look for bad things, we FIND them.

So it's not changing your situation that makes you happier.
It's changing your THINKING!

If you go looking for faults in your job or your mother or your wife,
you will find plenty.

Some people spend their life looking for faults -
and then they tell you, "I'm just being REALISTIC!"
It is not realistic.
It is NEGATIVE!

Happy people continually ask themselves,
"What is good about this situation?"

EXAMPLE:
You are stuck in traffic. You ask yourself, "What's GOOD about it?"
* You have time to listen to your favorite music.
* You can plan your day.
* It's better than walking!

EXAMPLE:
You are short of money. You ask, "What's GOOD about having no cash?"
* You learn to appreciate things that money can't buy.
* You become more determined to succeed.
* You find out who your friends are!

You might say, "That's nuts! It's kidding myself."
Not so!

Looking for good things is a key to happiness.

So your mission for the next 24 hours?
In every situation, look for GOOD THINGS.

It may be hard at first, but it becomes automatic.
As "looking for positives" becomes a habit,
you will become happier and happier.

Thanks to this, I realized that I haven't been looking at the "good stuff" in my life for the past years. From now on, I will try to be positive and hopefully stay that way for years.

Just dropping by to greet you a Happy Christmas!

Enjoy and celebrate Jesus Christ's birthday by giving and sharing all the LOVE in your family and friends.

I've been very blessed with a wonderful Husband and 2 little girls. My ever loving Mom, Dad, brothers, and sister are always there all the time. I'm so blessed to have online and offline friends. God has been faithful this year and He never abandoned us inspite of the challenges - He kept on PROVIDING!

I'm thankful, very, very thankful for everything, Lord!

THANK YOU!

Our last weekend was packed with two Christmas parties. Last Saturday was our Christmas party with my highschool friends. Last Sunday on the other hand, was our Christmas party with CFC or Couples for Christ household.

It started around 5PM when kids gathered to make a birthday card for Baby Jesus. They all had a grand time and look what they did!

After dinner, the kids exchanged gifts and then look who dropped by!

The kids were ecstatic when they saw Santa Clause himself! He gave out gifts for the kids which made the kids more happy!

It was a fun night for the kids and for the Daddies and Mommies as well. We ended at 9PM very happy!

Great food + Great Company = Perfect Christmas Party

Hey check this out! The list of holidays for 2011 was released by Malacañang on Monday. Here are the details...

Proclamation No. 84, signed by President Aquino, outlined the special and regular holidays for 2011, based on existing laws.

The holidays still follow RA 9492, or the "Holiday Economics" law passed in 2007.

The following regular holidays and special holidays for 2011 shall be observed in the Philippines:

A. Regular Holidays

· New Year’s Day – January 1 (Saturday)

· Araw ng Kagitingan – April 9 (Saturday)

· Maundy Thursday – April 21

· Good Friday – April 22

· Labor Day – May 1 (Sunday)

· Independence Day – June 12 (Sunday)

· National Heroes Day – August 29 (Last Monday of August)

· Bonifacio Day – November 30 (Wednesday)

· Christmas Day – December 25 (Sunday)

· Rizal Day – December 30 (Friday)

B. Special (Non-Working) Days

· Ninoy Aquino Day – August 21 (Sunday)

· All Saints Day – November 1 (Tuesday)

· Last Day of the Year – December 31 (Saturday)

C. Special Holiday (for all schools)

· EDSA Revolution Anniversary – February 25 (Friday)

In addition to these, the national holidays for the observance of the Islamic holidays Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall be determined in accordance with the Islamic or lunar calendar.

The dates shall be determined by National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).

"The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall promulgate the implementing guidelines for this Proclamation," the proclamation stated.

It's time to plan the trips for 2011! Yey!

Happiness is...

1. 7 corners dinner buffet
2. CFC Christmas Party with kids
3. Highschool Christmas party
4. Santa's gift to the little girls!
5. Got better from diarrhea/indigestion
6. Dad and my brother's safe arrival from CDO
7. Internet!
8. HP Mini Netbook
9. Busy Christmas Schedule
10. Gifts!


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

8 days before the year 2010 ends and I haven't decided if I will buy gold bullion. It's been months that I've been thinking and deciding about it. It's because investing in gold will be the most effective decision I'd ever make. It can be gold, silver, or other precious metals that I can purchase and have it stored in US Gold Bureau's safety deposit box. Or I can have it shipped to my place. I'm sure the transaction in buying gold would be a breeze. I just hope I'd be able to finally decide if I buy or not. Hopefully before the year ends.

Right before the Jollibee party, both of the girls were in the mood so the Dada took the opportunity and took their photos.

How time flies!

Ate A is now 4 years and 9 months old. Baby A, on the other hand is 2. The girls are now grabbing each other's toys. They share yes, but there are just days that they want only ONE particular toy. I don't understand, really! LOL! There are tons of toys that they can play with BUT, both of them want the SAME toy. Oh well...

Ate A is enjoying school and we would try to inquire in a big school soon. Baby A is getting more active everyday. She climbs, touches everything she sees, and eats whatever she holds. She still wakes up at night. (That is why I miss uninterrupted sleep for more than 2 years now!) But she's just charming and sweet as ever!

Ate A loves to do rough plays but we're trying to tell her that it's not good to play rough play with Baby A. (*grin*)

When I see these girls everyday, I can't help but feel really blessed for having them in my life. Such darlings that definitely make mine and Hubby's everyday really special.

Are you still thinking of what to give to the rest of the family like your brothers and sisters? Here's a nice idea. Give them a chocolate business gift. I haven't thought of this until this morning. Too bad, I was able to get gifts already for them but I might give this to them hopefully next year. It's something that they might enjoy and at the same time, consider it as an extra income. They can sell chocolates during Christmas, Valentine, Mother's Day and Father's Day. Actually they can even do it whole year round so their friends can order for birthdays and anniversaries. It's going to be big, I can just imagine and I'm positive that they're going to love this!

Just like last year, I was beyond tears after watching Ate A's Christmas musical play. She did a great job! We were so proud of her! (*grin*)

The King of the Jungle, I would say was a success. They were having problems with the sound system though. It was TOO loud! Andie wasn't able to take it, she felt cranky towards the end of the play. The Yaya had to bring her out of the theatre. But the rest didn't mind because everyone was busy watching and taking photos of the kids.

But as an overall rating, the whole play was a success! We are so proud of our little girl! Oh, I already said it before. LOL!

Parents were asked to join the kids at the stage. They gave us a nice present for Christmas. Then they had our photos taken.

Now, the little girl is officially on Christmas break!

Ate A's 2010 school field trip was towards the end of November. It was a whole day event and the Dada happily went with her.

First Stop: Aerospace Museum

Second Stop: Manila Zoo

Third and Last Stop: Star City!

Too bad, cameras were not allowed inside Snow World, so the Dada wasn't able to take photos of her inside. Both had a great time though. And they promised that they will bring me and Andie one of these days too.

When I was in the province last month, I noticed that there were a lot of guys wearing cowboy hats. When I check online, there are also called Stetson hats that can be bought at TheFedoraStore.com. I was curious, why would you wear something like that, the Hubby explained that it's a fashion accessory to the cowboys. Just like from the movie Hannah Montana, I saw them wearing those hats during the entire movie.

I realized that it looked good on them since they were really in the farm. These type of hats are quite expensive. For the Stetson Premier Collection Diamante it's actually worth a whopping $4,500! You can get a cheaper version which is the Stetson Premier Collection 5000X Wide Oval Ranchman at $289.95. Not bad for a nice Stretson hat, right?

Now, I'm thinking, since I don't have a gift for my Dad yet, maybe I should buy one for him. He lives in the farm you see and stays there for months. He's not a Cowboy but he goes to ranches every now and then. He definitely deserves a Stretson hat! So now, I'm off to checking out which stocks are available and hopefully my shopping experience with TheFedoraStore.com would be a breeze!

Your little girls are going to love this!

You can meet and greet Barbie! Here are the details...

The Exclusive Barbie Glam House
Dec 17 to Dec 21, 2010
and
Meet and Greet barbie
Dec 17 to Dec 19, 2010 at 3:00pm and 5:00pm
SM Megamall Event Center

To enter, get a barbie pass for a minimum Php1000 single receipt purchase at any participating Toy Kingdom and Toy Kingdom Express or Barbie event booth from Dec 1 to Dec 21.

**Barbie Pass good for 1 kid + 1 accompanying adult.

Before November ended, we had an impromptu dinner or get together. It was also the day my Mom arrived. So it was sort of a welcome dinner for her.

The highlight of the night - we were joined by a star - Ton Ton Guttierez! LOL! We didn't leave the place without taking a photo with him. Just look at us!

Good thing Mr. Guttierez was nice and very accomodating. We had 3 batches of photo opps. I guess that's the prize of being a star.

It was a fun night with family and friends. Looking forward to another dinner soon.

You Are Six Geese-a-Laying

For you, the holidays are a creative and even inspired time of year. You really get into the spirit of things. Whether you're crafting homemade gifts or baking holiday treats, your hands like to stay busy. Your holiday wish is for everyone to feel like a kid again. You hope each person experiences some holiday magic. This is your favorite season for celebrating old memories and making new ones.

Happiness is...

1. Dad Turns 60!
2. 10 more days before Christmas
3. Kids and the Hubby are getting better
4. Thank God was able to bring the girls to their Pedia
5. No more fever for Andie
6. Thank you Lord for always PROVIDING
7. Online friends
8. 4 more days of work before the Christmas vacation
9. Coffee to perk me up!
10. Upcoming Christmas parties

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

I'm sure you will be surprised that my Dad is already 60. He doesn't look 60 right? We all agree actually. His secret? A happy disposition plus lots of vitamins. (*grin*) I pray for his good health and peace of mind for the years to come!

Happy Birthday Dad/Lolo! We LOVE you!

I can't hardly believe it until a friend sent an email saying it's really 10 days before Christmas. I thought I still have a month to finish wrapping gifts, do our yearly general cleaning and pack for our Holiday trip! But no, I only have 10 days to go.

There are a lot on my list. I need to buy gold bullion too before the year ends. But since I have a few days left, I don't think that's possible anymore. The good side is that since I've been monitoring it for months now all I need is half an hour to finish the transaction. I'm confident that I'm making the right decision in buying these gold stuff. It's for the future. My future, my Husband's and kids.

As for my to-do list, I may have to put off a few things on the list and move it early next year. Oh well.

Thanks to my highschool friend Janice, the little kids met Hermie, the common caterpillar and his friends...

They've been watching this nice story everyday. It's about Hermie the common caterpillar who complains how ordinary he was. God kept on explaining to him and Wormie, his friend that HE is not yet done with them yet. Such a beautiful story with a wonderful moral of the story. The kids love it to bits. I hope I can get more DVD of Hermie soon. This is also great to give out as Christmas gifts!

Thanks to Jacqui, I was able to meet some of the MBAPS last Wednesday night. I met up with Jacqui, Apple, and Jody at Starbucks Greenbelt, then we transferred to Via Mare to have dinner!

It was a fun night full of chikahan as usual. Kelly followed afterwards.


It was nice seeing you again ladies...

Jacqui, thank you for the startbucks gift certs!

Apple, will pray for your safe delivery!

Jody, thanks for the dessert and for the photos

Kelly, we'll talk soon! HAHA!

Hope to see you all again and the rest of the MBAPS next year. (*wink*)

I went to the mall yesterday and would you believe that the usual 15-minute drive took me an hour and half to get there? I was so stressed out. I don't usually bring the car when I go to the mall but yesterday I didn't have a choice since I needed to buy stuff. It would be hard to bring all those shopping bags during my commute. I needed to be patient since I didn't have much choice. Christmas rush is already starting. Traffic is everywhere and the mall is packed with Christmas shoppers. I wanted to look for wrinkle free treatments and learn more on what I need to buy, but I just didn't have time. I needed to go home as soon as possible since I'm scheduled to wrap our Christmas gifts for the parties that we will be having next week. Good thing there are several information available online. I would rather read from there while I'm at home. At least I could bond with the kids too.

Yesterday was Ate A's Christmas Party at school. It just means only one thing - the Christmas Holiday has officially started!

Everyone at home is in high spirits. I've been wrapping gifts during free time. Going out to meet old friends. Dinner and coffee are scheduled for the next few weeks. Christmas party will be every weekend starting next week. Things are getting busier everyday. I'm not complaining. I'm very excited actually. And I can't wait for the Christmas day to come! HOHOHO! Merry Christmas! (*wink*)

Happiness is...

1. Dinner date with Jody, Kelly, Jacqui and Apple last night
2. Pork Binagoongan, Puto Bungbong (?), and Bibingka from Via Mare
3. Wine and Cheese with the Hubby last Friday
4. Andie's party in Jollibee thanks to the Lola!
5. Reunion with cousins
6. Chicken Barbeque, Lasagna, and Pansit - Loving home-cooked meal! Thanks Mom!
7. Starbucks Gift Certs! Thanks Jacqui! (*grin*)
8. Alex's loots from school's Christmas party
9. The little girl's musical play very soon!
10. Siomai for snacks today

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

I saw this from Sophia of Jane yesterday and I thought Ate A will going to love this!

Looks like a real pet! Check out what it says at the website:

From neighborhood strolls to playing in the park, there’s nowhere your loveable puppy doesn’t want to walk with you! While you two are out exploring together, he’ll make barking sounds and wag his tail to show you how much he’s enjoying his walk. Use the remote control leash to guide your little friend wherever you want to go and just see where your adventures take you!

Plush, electronic puppy figure comes with a remote control leash.

The price is a bit on the high side though at $59.99 but I can already see the smile on Ate A's face the moment she sees this "pet dog".

Check out the video here.

Last week, we were invited to my cousin's civil wedding. I was ecstatic since it's going to be at Illustrado Restaurant in Intramuros. I haven't been to that area for years now and it would be great to visit the place again.

When we arrived at the venue we were greeted by my pretty cousin, Lianne, the bride.

We settled on the last table. Since the venue was not too big, we could still clearly see what's happening in front.

The wedding march immediately started and the bride walked with her father.

It was my first time to attend a Civil Wedding so I didn't really know what to expect. I was surprised that the ceremony took only 15 minutes. After signing of contracts, etc. We then had a sumptious dinner with red wine!

It was such a happy occassion! So nice to see my Tito, Titas, and cousins.

I wanted to give them a home appliance that they can use in their first home but they are both moving to France. I'm thinking of giving them a blu ray disc instead. So I haven't given them a final gift yet. Since my cousin will be in another country, heavy and bulky stuff will be a no no since I don't want them to worry about their baggage anymore.

Congratulations to the newly-wed couple! Wishing you good life and lots and lots of kids! (*grin*)

I've been drooling over ipod touch 32 for months now! But it seems like the new one looks better...

Yes, this is the Apple 8GB 4th generation IPOD Touch. The HD may be smaller but specs are better. Check it out:

* Thinner than ever design

* Retina display - The remarkable 960-by-640 resolution on iPod touch makes everything you see and do on it look even more incredible - like the iPhone 4

* HD video recording - iPod touch lets you record, edit, and share stunning HD video. And because it's always with you, you'll never miss a great video op

* A4 Processor - offers even more exciting gaming

* Genius Mixes

* Plays 15 hours of music on one charge

* FaceTime - brings video calling to iPod touch. So now you can see your friends and talk to them

I love the idea of putting video on the ipod! It is definitely a reason to upgrade!

I got this from Mommy Academy and I thought I'd share it here. It's so useful for Moms who plan birthday parties like me. Something from McDonad's...

The Big Brother P99 promo that is...

Every evening from December 1-10, 2010 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, price for a Big Brothers Burger is P99 only and will be valid for Dine-in and Takeout Orders only.

Participating Branches Include:
* Convergys Ayala (Beside Makati Med)
* Malate (nr Raja Sulayman Pk, fronting Roxas Blvd
* Tomas Morato
* SM Megamall
* Capitol Hills (GreenStreet Comm Center)
* Nuvali (Sta Rosa Laguna)
* Marquee Mall (Angeles City, Pampanga)

LOVE IT!

I noticed that nursing scrubs have been commonly used these days not only by nurses but also by the staff in the hospital. It's a good thing since the designs and colors vary, making the hospital lively. Knowing the sick and depressed people, it's a welcoming site to see these colors. It's something that you want to see aside from the white walls of most of the hospitals and white uniform of the Doctors. Patients and families is now delighted thanks to the nursing scrubs.

I was surprised that you can actually buy scrub clothing at a cheap price. I'm even more surprised that there are readily available scrubs online at BlueSkyScrubs.com. All you have to do is look for the design that you like, add to cart, input your credit card details and then you are good to go. I love their new designs and I'm thinking of giving it to my friend who is a Physical Therapist. I don't have a Christmas gift for her yet. I'm pretty sure that she will like it. We have the same taste and since I love the designs, she will like it too.

Happiness is...

1. So many loots from my Mom who came from the US for vacation
2. Got my HP mini netbook! Love it!
3. Loots from Paris are here too, thanks to my Mom!
4. Chocolate with Raisins
5. Thinking of what to give Hubby this Christmas (*grin*)
6. Got a surprise call this morning from an agent. HA!
7. Loved my artscow photobooks
8. Shopping last Saturday!
9. My friend Faye sold my bag. Soooo happy! (*grin*)
10. Loving the Christmas rush

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

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
- Ken Follet's Jack Daws (still reading it)

What movies and/or TV shows did I watch this month?
- Camp Rock 1 and 2

What special days did I celebrate and how?
- Andie's 2nd Birthday
- MBAPS Early Christmas Party
- Migo and Sam's Birthday
- Mom's arrival from US

What gifts did I give and/or receive?
- Gave Sam and Migo a gift
- Lots of loots from the Lola

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
- Thank God for medicines, didn't have colds this month

What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family?
- Went to Dahilayan Adventure Park for the zipline ride
- Spent Andie's 2nd birthday party in Malaybalay

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?
- Pine Hills Hotel food

What special or unusual purchases did I make?
- I shopped at Rockwell Tent Bazaar, MNG outlet in CDO, and MNG Megamall

What were this month's disappointments?
- Our 2nd help didn't come back :(

What were my accomplishments this month?
- Successful 2nd birthday party of Andie

Saving money for a child is all the more important now. Money is hard to come by, except for maybe payday loans. As the child grows, expenses might increase. When the child is in college, you might need a lot of money at once. What do you do?
Saving money for a child is like starting to build a mountain now. And it is always a good habit. When in need, your piggybank will be the world’s greatest bank. Like accumulating trickles that form a stream, accumulating money forms wealth.

Raising a kid is as brave a decision as deciding to have one. When you bring up your kid you need to understand the importance of giving a decent level of everything to your kid. You must feel elated as well as responsible, because until a certain point of time, your child's future is shaped by you.

Saving for your children's college education should start early. One might think "What is the guarantee that my kid will go to college?" All these thoughts are unfounded. It is better to be safe than sorry. Even if your kid does not become a college-goer, the accumulated money can be used for other things.

Let the funds towards your child's future education be consistent. Don't include random amounts. You can do it. But random amounts will encourage you to put in less during certain times. Some people choose random amounts so that when they do take out the money, they like to be surprised at what has been accumulated. On the other hand, a consistent amount can be easily calculated anytime. You would easily know how much has been accumulated. It sounds less exciting, but is generally safer.

Now to the main question. Where do you save it? The best option is the bank, and not the piggy-bank, because banks pay you interest.

That's what I call my little girls. Even if they've grown a lot lately, I still call them my babies. I don't want them to grow too fast! I wish I could freeze time and have them by my side forever. But well, that's not possible. So will just make the most out of the time. I know that one day, they would prefer to go out with their friends than hang out with their Mama and Dada.

Year after year we always seem to have the same holiday party. While it’s fun to see everyone come together, this year would be a good time to switch things up a bit. With the stress of work and planning your year, it would be nice to have everyone come and enjoy a little different type of a holiday party. My suggestion for this year is to host a costume party where everyone attending can dress up, and as this is an odd time of the year to have a theme party, it would be that much more fun for everyone.

Kids love to dress up and so do most adults, so why not put something together for the holidays that can be both entertaining and memorable? There are so many themes to choose from and you most likely won’t even have to purchase anything extra to get your costume together. One of the simplest things to do would be to wear your old Halloween costumes and see who comes up with the best or worst ones. It will be exciting and everyone will appreciate this lighthearted theme party.

The whole point of a holiday party is to have a good and memorable time and what better way to do so than by having a costume party? For some odd reason, everyone ends up with at least one sweater that we know they would never wear. Everyone has one and they feel too guilty to do anything about it so it would be a nice idea to ask everyone to come in their worst sweater. It will be interesting to see what kind of fashion the attendants come up with and have something to laugh about for months after the party. Holidays parties do not have to be serious, so try to make it as enjoyable and memorable as possible.

It has been a tradition that we would spend our kids' second birthday in Mindanao. That's where I grew up. With this, she gets to meet her cousins, Lolos, Lolas, Titos and Titos. True enough, both Ate A and Baby A had a grand time!

For the party details, most of it are DIY. Since the city is small and there is no party supplier there yet. This is a blessing in disguise because my Tita would be doing the stage backdrop!

She is the best! She did the stage backdrop while the butterfly boards were done by my Dad's carpenter in town. I so love how it looked! She also made the table centerpieces which made the place more beautiful.



There were butterflies at the foodcarts too!


The kids were given butterfly wings (for girls) and masks for the boys.



Some kids went there in costume. I noticed that the adults wanted the wings and the masks too. LOL! Good thing I brought a couple of extras, they were able to bring home a few pieces.

Just like the wings and the masks, I brought the backpacks for the giveaways in Divisoria - my favorite party place!

The kids love it! Some even asked for more. LOL!

The nice cake was made by our family friend Raquel.


I would say there were a couple of glitches during the party but since the kids had fun especially the birthday girl, I would say that it was perfect!