Music for Mom

Last Saturday, I had a chance to support a very noble cause initiated by the children for their mom. Aside from the yearly charitable visits we do for the orphanage, these are the kind of events I frequent with. I am very lucky to have friends like Alex and Chad who are always there for support. They are one of my male friends whom I consider very close to my heart. It was a fun night with different kind of music played by several bands whom Pat and Alex are friends with.

The fund raising event was for Patricia's mom who underwent surgery and would need more help for the medical expenses. Their mom must have been pretty special to deserve such love and effort from her children.

I remember my mom when she was hospitalized several years back, my sisters and I have alternately searched for ways to shoulder the bill for the hospital and medications. It was really a very challenging time in our life. But during those times will you realize how good our parents must have been to have raised such loving and responsible children. It is the time when you'll realize how your mother have raised you to be the kind of person who can get past through any struggle. It was the time where we really felt how close we are as a family and how we really care for each other. It was the most depressing time of our life but it definitely made our bond stronger and defined. It was the time that Mom has to let go and have let us fly on our own.

with real good friends Alex & Chad

I have several share of Mommy moments where I felt confirmation that what I'm currently doing as a mom is right and cool. There was this time me and my boys were playing in the playpen I personally designed in my father's house. A girl aged 9 or 10 was watching me and the boys play and enjoy each other. She then approached me and said "I wish you were my mom." I smiled back and let her join us. Her mom was just near us busy talking with her friends. My youngest sister often commented on how she loved being at home because she loved what I cook and bake. Some friends and office mates have expressed how cool it would be like to have me as a sister or a mom. I'm just sharing what I'm good at and that is nurturing. I don't have much money but I have lots of friends who treats me like a family and a family who treats me like a friend. I guess what you give just eventually goes back naturally. 



what goes around comes around...

Improvised costume for Trick or Treat!

Every year, employees bring their kids to our company's Trick or Treat event. Minimum age requirement was 3 y/o. The first time I learned of the event my son was just 8 months old. So when he finally turned three I was so excited to bring him. My sister and I did not like the first outcome of her version of scarecrow so I was draining my creative juices an hour before we went to my office's Trick or Treat. I must say, creativity come to moms who are so tight on the budget.

Let me share our improvised version of scarecrow from Wizard of Oz.

1. an old Ukay turtleneck shirt of Tita Bingle

2. Mama's version of red topper from an excess cloth in Tita Auring's tailor shop

3. Ichiro's old hat

4. Ichiro's black school shoes

5. A yellow sack for the hay part made by Tita Xrla both for the hands and feet

6. old brown and orange leaves from our trees at home

7. Ichiro's jogging pants

8. An old string like tie made from wood craps for the belt and for the hands

9. hair pins

This is not his first Trick or Treat. He had one in school already. But being the very shy and quite a snob kid that he is, it's quite an accomplishment that he was able to join the kids in collecting candies with Mama just following around. The good news is: He was awarded BEST in COSTUME! I'm so glad that when his name was called he went forward willingly. He proudly showed me his prize which is a book making kit. We spent the next day putting up shapes and colors to make his ocean adventure book. It was a priceless bonding time.

It was worth the wait !

This was a repost from my old 360 Yahoo blog. The blog host was revamped then ultimately removed from the Yahoo features. I had so many articles on that blog but was able to recover only a few. I still have more blogs around but mostly for private posts only. PHdM is my newest baby and this is not a personal blog. It just aims to share thoughts and lessons learned for the readers to be informed, encouraged and enlightened. 

Are you a Trick or a Treat?

I want you to fight for me! That's all I ever wanted!

Sunday family time was spent in a moviehouse. Me, the boys and Tita xa went to see Real Steel. It was a good father and son movie where a stubborn kid teaches life lessons to his dad.

Hugh Jackman played the role of Charlie Kenton who was reunited with his son Max Kenton played by Dakota Goyo. The movie was exciting with all the robot fighting stunts but blended well with heartwarming and emotional scenes displayed in surprising moments.

The most memorable part was this:

Charlie Kenton: I tried, okay? I mean, what do you want from me?
[Max in tears, turns to Charlie]
Max Kenton: I want you to fight for me! That's all I ever wanted!
[he turns and leaves]

A touching moment there...

Max claims his mother is pretty cool probably why he grown so smart. When his mom died, he met his dad and discovered a lot of things about him and wished his dad to finally take him and not give him away.

I highly recommend this film for a good family entertainment. Not only it was devoid of adult scenes, it was surprisingly not the gross violent type of movie. I am very particular with movies and shows that I let my kids watch because media, I believe has great impact to the young minds. Though the exchange of conversation between the kid and his dad are not the typical Filipino setting between an elderly and a child, the honesty and straight forward attitude provides a clearer understanding of the message being sent across. At home, I practice this with my boys. I encourage them to speak their minds but in a way not offending but respectful. I do not require them of the "po" and "opo". Instead,  I remind them on choosing words carefully and to say it properly.

My boys totally enjoyed the movie. It was actually a tiring day but really awesome. Nothing beats Sundays with the boys.


"I want you to fight for me! That's all I ever wanted!"
But did somebody, in all honesty ever fought for you?

Teaching kids to love books at an early age

I've always believed that an idle mind is a devil's playground. So I always make sure that I don't waste my time with anything unproductive. It's a good example I modelled for my kids that's why Sundays are spent with different activities for my boys. One of my boys' favorite activities is reading. I've started reading for them when they were still a baby and now it's funny that they can already make a book all by themselves. Teaching them how to read at an early age gives them an access to information they will need later on. Now I'm sharing tips on how I did it with my boys.

1. Read to them even when they are still a baby. Use big colored books to help them develop their sight and don't be embarassed to act out or  make funny voices when you read out loud.

2. Bring them to bookstores and let them choose their books. I remember Ichiro holding a how to play chess and a science book with a sheepish grin because I only asked him to choose one. Good thing the books were on sale.

He wrote a Thank you note for Mama on an ADARNA notepad and posted it on our mirror the next day:)

3. Bring them to story telling activities in malls, bookstores and school. I always mark on my calendar whenever there's a schedule in a nearby mall.

4. Let them meet the authors and illustrators of the books they love to read. Jiro was really fascinated when one illustrator drew a monkey for him while signing his book.

5. Attend bookfairs with the kids. Join them in the kids activities like costume or art contests. Last year we attended the 31st Manila International Book Fair at SMX. My boys were awarded "People's Choice Award" in a photo contest. The photo was used in Adarna Publishing House calendar for 2011. They got so many books from Adarna Publishing for their prize. They sported a tandem costume for "Ako si Kaliwa, Ako si Kanan". They even got a pic with the author of the book.

Brother-bonding through reading

The books they won in the photo contest.

6. And last but not the least, be a good example. Set a time for self reading. Let kids see you spending time reading. Ichiro has started to look for kid's magazines when he saw that I had tons of parenting and working mom magz in my shelf. They find it funny to see their pics in some of the issues of those magazines.

My time is already fully booked for my kids. The rest only come second in my priorities. It will always be our choice on how we are going to spend our time and who we are going to waste it with. For me, the boys will always be my choice.


How do you spend your time productively?