Kids' Conversations

As a stay at home mom, I am thankful that I get to spend so much time with my kids. Even when they play, we're together. I read a book or blog while they do their thing, usually a make-believe play like what I overheard a few times. Sometimes, they will ask something and I get stump.

Pio: (using his toy car and toy cell) Hello Bea, sunduin na kita ha. Mag ready ka na.

Bea: ok, anu dala mo sasakyan (imitating Mama)?

Pio: race car, walang aircon sira, dala ka pamaypay.....

One time, Pio took out his toy cars and pretended to be choosing what to buy in the showroom.

He asked Bea (the agent),

Pio: Miss ok ba yang Ferrari nyo?

Bea: Ok po Sir. Magustuhan po nyo yan.

Pio: Eh yang Impala (pointing to a remote control car), mas ok yata kaya lang parang high profile yan....(the term his Papa used in describing a new Land Cruiser before)

While we're studying the different parts of the house in Pilipino, we came across the word palikuran (bathroom), here's what Pio said:

Pio: Mama pag pumasok ba sa palikuran, kelangan nakatalikod?

When the lesson is all about the national hero, flower, fish, tree...
Pio suddenly remarked, "Meron pa Mama, National Bookstore....

While on the road, Pio is always on a look-out for nice cars. He is such a car afficionado. He would tell us ahead what's the car's model, make and how many doors it has. One time, he asked,

Pio: Mama meron bang sasakyan na one door lang?

Mama: (not thinking) wala

Pio: meron....yung bus

Hubby and I are chatting about how wonderful it is to have babies in the family. Of course, Pio would say something as always.

Pio: Mama pwede ba ako bumalik sa tummy mo and maging baby uli?

Mama: HA HA HA

Agua de Invierno

For a week now, this music has been blaring in our room. Hubby can't get enough of this guy...Watch it. In fact, am now enjoying listening to Renzo Dali, a Peruvian musician. He is so talented, he plays almost all instruments. Even my son Pio is imitating how he plays the keyboard. He told me he wants to learn how to play the piano soon. There, influenced by this music....

Stretching your Paycheck

“Budgeting within a slim paycheck is like writing a doctoral dissertation all the time,” groans a suburban housewife. She is a mother of three: her first is in third year high school, with one child each in the intermediate and primary levels. Although she works and earns a little more by selling cosmetics and homemade biscuits or candies on the side, budgeting still taxes her creativity and patience.

Nevertheless, with determination and her family’s heartwarming cooperation, she has devised some means of stretching a thinning paycheck. While doing one, she made another discovery: “It brought the family closer, for I felt that the scheme I came up with needed everybody’s opinion.

That meant a lot of communication between parents and children.” She and her husband realized too that when the children are made to participate in the budget discussion, they even volunteer to cut down their expenses.

With her homemade easy-to-follow budget plan, this housewife knows she is saving up to 25 percent of the paycheck without sacrificing her family’s welfare. To live decently and provide the children with a balanced home life, she has drawn up the following budget tips:

• When you prepare a budget, stick to it. The plan may be divided into two general headings: fixed expenses (rent or home amortizations, school tuition, etc.) and fluctuating expenditures (food, entertainment, etc.).
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• Shopping is fun, but do it with a list in hand, whether in the supermarket or department store. Check the newspaper for bargain buys. It is also wise to look into flea markets, baratillos, and storewide sales from time to time.
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• Don’t get carried away by name brands. Read food labels and ask your family to help you compare prices of the brands you use in various stores. NESTLÉ product labels, you will find information on ingredients, nutrition, claims and other interesting facts under the “Good to Know & “Good to Remember” boxes. These pieces of information help consumers make informed choices.
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• Some food items – fresh, frozen, or canned – may be bought in bulk at wholesale prices. Why not ask friends or relatives to buy these items wholesale and split the bulk with you.
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• Drop by weekend thrift sales, which are getting popular these days, for home or gift items. Always buy gifts ahead of time to give you a chance to compare prices and choose wisely.
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• When using credit cards, be sure you know the cut-off period so you can program your installment payments.
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• If the kids are old enough to help, why not ask them to do the household chores with you, instead of hiring more than one help? Make washing the car or dirty dishes a family affair.
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• Check installment plans carefully. You might end up paying three to five times more than the real price. Check if the company you are working for has an appliance plan. Your credit union, if you have one, may also be able to assist you.
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• Schedule credit card payments, amortizations, taxes, etc. Let your money earn as much interest as it can in the bank. Find out what services are offered in the bank, which can make your savings earn more.
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• Entertaining at home is part of living in a community. If you must entertain, then have one memorable affair within the year with everyone invited, instead of having several dinners or luncheons.

SOURCE: Nestle Club website

How Real Are You?

You Are 96% Real

There's hardly a person on this earth more real than you are. You have no problem showing people who you are, flaws and all. For you, there couldn't be any other way. Because it's way too stressful to live an inauthentic life. You're very comfortable with yourself. And because of this, you're able to live an exciting, interesting, and challenging life.

How Real Are You?

The Right Study Habits for your Child

Mothers, now that your kids are back in school, get them started with the right study habits. Young children especially respond to order, pattern, and regularity. Follow these study tips for a month and see the improvement in your child’s studies.

Power Nap. Let your child “power nap” for 15 minutes after he or she comes home form school. This will provide him a restful break from school.

A Study Corner. Assign a place for him to study. Choose a quite corner in the house where he can concentrate. The bedroom is the worst place for a child to study. Because he associates the bedroom with sleeping, he will tend to fall asleep.

The Review and Read Ahead Method. Reviewing helps your child remember the earlier lesson better. Then assign 5-10 minutes for him to read up on the next day’s lesson. Even if he does not quite understand the topic, when the teacher goes through the lesson, he will be able to catch on easily because he will be quite familiar with it already.

Equal Time. As much as possible each subject should be given equal time to study. Divide his subjects into 20-minute intervals so that all the subjects are covered. Set the alarm clock so that you can alert him to change over to another subject matter. It is important that he studies all his subjects regularly to avoid cramming.

Television as a Reward. As much as possible, no TV during weekdays. Allow TV viewing on Friday and Saturday evenings. Use TV as a reward. Tape his favorite program so that he can watch it during the weekend as a reward. And as an added incentive, reward him with his favorite flavor of mom-approved Nestle Ice Cream.

Try these study suggestions, and help develop your child’s active mind to its fullest!

Source: Nestle Club website

How Lucky Are You?

Your Luck Quotient: 90%

You have an extremely high luck quotient. Not only do you consider yourself lucky, probably everyone you know does too. But you're smart enough to know that you've mostly made your own luck. By being positive, open, and flexible, a lot of luck has come your way!

How Lucky Are You?

I just copied this quiz from Francine's blog. Per my answers, I am 90% lucky. Oh well, let me try again, I'm gonna buy a lotto ticket. Hope I get the jackpot this time....Wish me more luck.

My Personality Color is Dark Blue

What color is your personality? Your Personality is Dark blue! Your a true feeling person. You often spend time just sitting, and trying to understand your over-whelming emotions. You love learning, and dreaming. Quite shy, you enjoy your solitude. You live a life of deep reflection. Secretly, your highly spiritual. Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

My Thoughts.....Out Loud

The past few weeks, I wanted to share my thoughts on a lot of things but I'm dilly-dallying because I couldn't decide if I should post some not so good news/issues in my blog. This is supposed to be a blog on my family, friends, parenthood, child-rearing or my journal of activities. But I really can't help it. I should write here what I really feel on current issues. Oh well, I can't be sweet forever....So bear with my opinion, rants and ramblings....

• toy recall- if Fisher-Price or Mattel (and other toy companies) have checked the quality and safety requirements of all their products before releasing them to the market, Mommies wouldn't be scared what will happen to their kids' health after they have played with such toys. Now they're saying even the Barbie play set are being recalled. My golly, my kids have those, should I worry then that the lead content of these toys can affect their health? What's next? Should we sue these toy companies if we notice that our kids are showing signs/ symptoms of bad exposure to lead?

• formalin (formaldehyde) use- I don't understand why the manufacturers have to use formalin in making shampoos, candies and even baby blankets/ bibs and other consumer goods. Per studies, the use of formalin for human consumption can actually cause cancers. No wonder, ang daming me sakit ngayon, not just the cough-colds-flu thing. I've had a chance to talk to mothers (usually along the clinic's hallways) when I have my kids' monthly check-up, I am terrified to learn that a lot of kids have cancers. The pedia said, maybe from the chemicals they use daily (plus poor eating habits), such as air-freshener sprays, insecticides, etc. Ano ba yan, masama pala sa health, how come nasa market din? Not to mention lahat ng usok sa paligid...Panu na tayo aabot ng 70 years old nyan?
  

• the Geraldine Palma rape-slay case- when I heard this news and saw the picture of a very pretty, healthy young girl (she's only 7) and very intelligent too, galit na galit ako. Nakakagigil....The young girl disappeared after school with her yaya. The alleged kidnappers called the parents and asked for ransom. Parents prepared the money and went to the meeting place. But these low-life creatures didn't show up. Days after, a suitcase was found floating in the river, with the young student inside. She was raped. Not content with that, sinakal sya ng kurdon sa leeg until she's lifeless. The parents offered a reward of P1M to those who can give info. on the horrible crime. The suspects are arrested one by one. It turned out, one of them is the boyfriend of the kid's nanny. The nanny, is also put on a wanted list after this development. My thoughts- I suggest the parents give the money instead to some "men" to finish the job. Or dapat i-firing squad ang mga rapist-murderers na yan sa Luneta para di na tularan ng iba. And before dalin sa Luneta, pahirapan muna gaya ng pahirap nila sa bata. Sorry, I am so emotionally affected with this case. Everyday, I watch out for new developments over the tv news. Paranoid na tuloy ako, I keep telling my kids what to do when they're out of the house, I even give security briefing to the household helpers and even to the schoolbus driver. Now, ok lang saken kahit isang helper lang basta mapag katiwalaan ko. Mommies should beware sa pagkuha ng mga maids/helpers. We should ask for NBI clearance, police & barangay clearance (and I also asked for x-ray clearance, before my kid had primary complex which she got from the nanny, eventhough the yaya looked so healthy).
  

• the Cris Mendez' death- sabi nila pag sumali sa fraternity o sorority, mas marami kaibigan na tutulong sa pag-aaral. After school, sila rin daw tutulong sa members nila na umangat sa career. My eldest kid asked me yesterday, "Panu naging brotherhood yun Mama, pinapalo nila sa legs , sa braso o minsan sa likod yung mga gustong sumali sa fraternity?". She also watches the news. I told her, ironic nga mga fraternities na yan. Sasaktan muna nila, bago i-consider na brother nila. Swerte kung di sila mamatay from the hazing/ initiation rites. I have friends who are Sigma Rhoans (one is also a former Archon), they would skip classes in law school everytime me rumble. Some would hide muna, magpa-lamig daw....Di ko talaga maintindihan bakit sila nag-sasakitan? My thoughts- ma-karma sana those involved in the death of this young fellow. Kawawa mga magulang nya. Sayang, pa-graduate pa naman sana sya next year. Malamang papasok sya sa law school kaya sumali sa Sigma Rho. One lawyer-politician said on tv, panu sila (those involved) magiging lawyer, eh mga kriminal na sila...I hope UP officials should act on this case and prevent more senseless deaths among their students.

• the Garci wiretapping case- Ano ba talaga gustong gawin ng mga Senador? Alam na nating lahat ang issue na ito. Ang pandaraya nung 2004 elections. Alam na rin natin na me kakayanan ang ISAFP na makinig sa mga private conversations over the cellular phones. Nagsasayang lang sila ng oras at budget sa mga hearings nila sa Senado. Mas mabuti pang gumawa na sila ng batas o ipasa na nila mga importanteng bills na nakasalang sa Congress at inaalikabok na sa mga opisina nila. My thoughts- baka naman pumupustura lang mga Senador na yan para sa 2010 presidential election. Para nga naman, sila ang bida at popular sa issue na ito. Anu bang batas ang pwede pa nilang gawin para matigil ang mga wire-tapping activities ng ISAFP? At kung meron ng batas, me susunod ba naman? Eh ISAFP nga ginamit para mahuli si Sen. Gringo Honasan noong nagtatago pa sya. ISAFP din tumutulong sa pag tugis ng mga Abu Sayyaf. So di na bago yang usapin ng wire-tapping. Ok lang saken mag wire-tap sila sa mga suspected rebels/terrorists. Wag na nilang pag aksayan panahon, mga tawagan (phone conversations) ng mga mga trapong pulitiko natin. At yang si Doble, naku eh loyalty nyan sa highest bidder. Tahimik na naman yan pag me nagbayad ng mas malaki. Inamin nya before sa Congress na di sya kasama sa nag-wire tap. He just stole the tapes and sold them to the Erap camp. Now sa Senate hearing, sabi nya he was involved mismo sa activity. Liar! I know one person in this "project". He's godfather to my kid. He was sent to the States when the Garci issue was so hot. Way back, we know na, all the personalities they've listened to. All he said was, wala daw tiwala GMA's people ke Garci kaya nag-wire tap sila. Mali nila, tumawag ba naman si GMA eh, he he...Does it mean, di alam GMA the wire-tapping thing? So who ordered it? Anyway, maliwanag talaga me dayaan noong 2004 election. Me magagawa pa ba tayo? Maghihintay ba tayo til 2010? O hayaan na lang natin, tutal, wala namang matinong papalit?

• the ZTE broadband deal- sobrang kakapalan mukha ni Comelec Chairman Abalos sa project (aims to inter-connect all gov't agencies in the country in a single broadband) na ito. Per DZMM (Ted Failon & Korina Sanchez' show) interview with him, he said he went to China lots of times to play golf with ZTE officials. And that, they paid for his trips. He even volunteered that his daughter Girlie is actually the friend of the ZTE President. I know Girlie from way back, She's a nice person. Magaling na negosyante at madiskarte talaga. Met her when I was doing consultancy work in the govt. So, totoo pala lahat ng nasa column ng respetadong si Mr. Jarius Bondoc (Phil. Star). Si Mr. Abalos pala nag broker ng deal na ito na hindi dumaan sa public bidding. According to Mr. Bondoc's source, $168M was paid to some gov't officials to approve this deal a month before the 2007 elections. I hope officials like former NEDA Dir. Neri and Finance Sec. Gary Teves would come out clean and tell the truth bec. according to reports, they were offered millions to support this project, but they didn't accept. This anomalous contract (which DOTC people said remains missing right after the signing by GMA and ZTE officials in China) should be cancelled immediately. Or this could be another reason for an impeachment offense for both GMA and Abalos...
  

• the ERAP verdict- I think he will get the guilty verdict. That's what he will get with this plunder case....Ok lang sana to get his share from jueteng but to get the excise tax that's supposed to be for the farmers' benefit, that's another matter. Oh well, hirap talaga maraming mistresses and families to lavish their lives with so much luxuries. Bad thing though for sure, traffic na naman sa Wednesday here in Commonwealth and dami na namang rallies after. Anyway, I don't think they can stage another EDSA 3. My thoughts- he deserves it, bwahaha....Sana kasunod na yung nakaupo ngayon na sobra ding kurakot....That's all for now, folks. There, I let out my true feelings....Comments are very welcome....
  

Another Tag: Questions and Answers

I was tagged again by Girlie (HipnCoolMomma) to answer 10 questions, here are my answers:

Q1. What were you doing 10 years ago?

I was working as Executive Secretary to a former Senate President and taking care of my first-born after office work.

Q2. What were you doing 1 Year ago?

Doing business (construction/seafoods/jewelries/garments)

Q3. What are 5 snacks you enjoy?

Potato chips
Fries
Fish balls
siomai
burgers

Q4. What are 5 songs you know the lyrics to?

Cherish
Strangers in the Night
Girl from Ipanema (Frank Sinatra’s)
Just Once
I Finally Found Someone

Q5. 5 things you would do if you are a Millionaire?

give tithes to the church
travel around the world with my family, parents, siblings
help all my relatives, friends, fellow Pinoys start their own businesses
build a hospital for the poor, sick patients
buy hectares of land, build houses for the homeless

Q6. 5 Bad habits?

not so good on budgeting
Short-tempered
Blog addict
Staying up late
Nagging my kids & hubby

Q7. 5 things you like to do?

go shopping
Read more books
Watch lots of movies
Clean the whole house
Bond with my kids more

Q8. 5 Favourite Toys?

my cell
pc
(only have 2)

Q9. 5 things you would never wear?

micro mini skirt
Bikinis
(can’t think of anything else)

Q10. 5 things you hate to do?

ironing clothes
wait in long queue
wait for call center agents to answer my call
wait, wait endlessly for someone
and wait more…….

There, I'm done....I'm not tagging anyone. Feel free to do it. Have fun....

The Face Behind the Blog

I was tagged by Tina (My Good Finds) to do the face behind the blog meme. Since my pics are now seen after the Bloggers' Meet, I'm doing the tag just the same. I have said so much about myself and family in this blog so I'm just posting my before and recent pics. Here are some of my photos:

me at two years old



me & my mom



my college grad pic for the yearbook



recent photo with my kid



pic posted in my blog's sidebar